In Two Minds
by Tabitha Caine
Summary: When a modern day solider is given the option of fulfilling her ambition of fighting and proving her worth, she never thought she'd end up with the famous Easy Company. This is her story. Rated T for later chapters. ***NEW CHAPTERS!*** Please review **
1. Chapter 1

**_So, this is my first story in the world of Band of Brothers. It is based soley on the characters of the series and not on the real men of Easy Company. I mean no disrespect, but i just want to see what my mind could conjure. I have tried to keep it as factually as possible, with using memorias and the TV series for guidance. Review are always appreciate. xxxx CURAHEE - E/2/506/101_**

I had always wondered what it would be like to fight for my country. Most people tell me that the job I'm doing now is just that. "Great," I think, "how is sat here freezing my ass off on a squadron exercise, learning how to fight for my country?" Yes I've been to 'war' but I was like so many other now-a-day soldiers, I'd never actually fired a shot.

In the whole six months I was away, I didn't fire one round. War was bloody, fierce, and downright scary, but as a female I had never been near the front line. As much as it saddens everyone when the news of yet another soldier is killed "serving his country" and how "he was a true soldier" I wonder what the old boys would say. Each generation of soldier will say that he had it tough when he was in.

I know I've said it. "You WHAT! Quilts and fitted bloody sheets! They're not even teaching you how to make hospital corners anymore? Jesus you get it easy!" But when it comes to learning to fight "the enemy" that's where it changes dramatically. Whilst the weapons and the enemy may have changed, the basic principles of warfare remain the same, engage and over come the enemy. The training wasn't much different either, hard work, long days, long drill and repetition until you could do your job in your sleep.

Everyone knows the outcome of the biggest war in modern history and thankfully the outcome was what it was; otherwise I would be writing this in German!

It was only when I had a complete out of body experience that I fully understood the realities of war and the ways it could affect the soldiers that were forced to fight in it. This is my story.

"Abbott, do us a favour mate?" Waddington asked me as he leant against the Landover.

"Jump up on the rover and chuck me that cam." I had finished smoking the longingly desired cigarette and clambered up onto the roof. I did it without thinking. You don't worry about falling off or getting hurt, because it's one of the things you do all the time.

"No worries. Where's this piece of crap going?" Cam nets are by far the bane of a soldier's life on exercise. It gets caught on anything and everything. Webbing, rifle, jackets, trousers! The next few minutes would either have us all smiling because it behaved itself or we would be sniping at one another as it tested our patience.

"I hope this is the last frigging move. I cannot be chewed with doing this again!" Waddington just laughed. We had been playing CP up and CP down all day and the whole detachment was getting annoyed.

"I wouldn't put it past them." Laughing at the possibility of yet another move, was the only way to stop us from crying, well stop me anyway. I yanked the net, I had seen it was snagged on the antenna and also round my boots but thought nothing of it. I turned round as Stevenson called out, as I twisted round I felt nothing but the air wrap round me. I had nothing to hold on to and only with the ground for a cushion, I braced myself.

"Oh shit!" I thought "this is really going to fucking hurt!", but I felt no pain, I didn't even feel the jolt of the impact or the all too familiar feeling of air being forced out of my lungs. It wasn't until I was looking down on myself that I knew something was wrong. Unsure of whether I was dead or alive I tried shouting at people, waving my arms in front of their faces, even through them once or twice, but just like in the movies, it was no good.

"You know that they can't see you right?" A tall dark haired man with the biggest smile was leaning against a nearby tree. His clothes were a brilliant pristine white.

"Yeah, I got the whole Ghost theme thanks!" I was pissed.

"S_o I take it I'm dead then_" I asked, my voice coming out a pitch or two higher than the indifferent casual I had been aiming for now the panic was starting to set in.

"Well no, not yet anyway." Now the hysteria was really setting in. There I was watching my unconscious self being loaded into an ambulance.

"So where am I then?" I screamed. The man frowned, as though he was thinking about what to tell me.

"Let's just say that you're in limbo." Great! This was all I needed. The shock and hysteria took hold; I couldn't stop the tears as "not yet" circled round my head. Whirling round on the stranger, I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

"So just explain to me what I'm doing in purgatory?" Because that's what it was. I was invisible to the world except this smart-aleck smiler, who was more cryptic than Bowman radio!

"We have a task for you." He seemed so smug, and he wasn't trying to hide it. It was the whole "I know and you don't" attitude.

"We? Who the fuck is 'we'?" I was losing my patience rapidly.

"We" he said, pointing at the sky.

"Oh… My…" I whispered. So He _was _true. Don't get me wrong I believed that He was there, but in a one way, last ditch, desperation, conversation kind of way. The man walked over to me as I slumped to the floor.

"Claire, not everything is what it seems. We know that you are not content with this life. So He has decided to give you this opportunity to fulfil your ambition." _See what I mean about cryptic!_

"I'm happy. I'm finally talking to my sister. My mum and dad are still around. What more could I ask for?" My companion smiled again, flashing me those pearly whites.

"You want to fight." I should have had whip lash from the speed at which my neck whipped round.

"How the hell did you know that?" No one had know how envious I was of the boys out in Afghan, of the "Old Boys" and how they were able to serve their country with dignity and pride. Now-a-days there's too much red-tape, politics and bullshit involved. Back then it was a case of kill the bad guy and go home.

But now it's "if you kill the bad guy, we're gonna spend millions reviewing the crap out of it, to see if you killed the right bad guy!" I wanted to prove something, what I didn't know exactly. Maybe it was to prove that I was capable of handling someone shooting at me and, more importantly, I was able to survive.

"Because I get told everything about you my dear! So here's your choice, you go back to this world and don't remember that you had the choice, you carry on as if nothing ever happened _or_ you go where we want to send you, you get to remember your life up to this point, all your knowledge and memories go with you." I was confused but intrigued as to what this 'other' option might be. Watching as the ambulance drove away, I turned to my companion.

"So where am I going?" Clasping his hands together he looked so bloody pleased with himself.

"Brilliant!" I had no idea what this other option would be or whether I would see my family and friends again. Would my unresponsive body give out on me before I got to chance to experience the other option? If I took the other option, would I be able to come back?

My heart was aching, almost tearing me in two. I wanted to go home and reassure my family that I was going to be okay, but the soldier within me wanted to fight, wanted to prove my worth. "Will I get new memories, a new name? Or is it going to be bad a repeat of Life on Mars?" The man who had yet to introduce himself, walked over to me.

"My darling Claire all will be revealed in good time. Now please stand still." Rubbing his hands together as though they were cold, he moved them either side of my head.

"You know I didn't think the Vulcan mind meld actually worked!" I had to make a joke, I was bricking myself. I was leaving everyone and everything I had ever known behind.

"Right my darling, your next stop is..." Touching my temples, I dropped to the floor like a sack of spuds. "Not again!"


	2. Chapter 2

**So, chapter two is here! If you here then THANKYOU so much. I really hope that you have enjoyed what you have read so far and that you will stick around for more chapters. **

I woke up staring at the painted ceiling of a small unfamiliar bedroom. My head was killing me. As I closed my eyes, a sudden rush of new memories flooded my mind. Every cell in my brain screamed from the overload. It felt as though someone was trying to squeeze a duvet into a pillowcase, too much when there's no more room.

I could see childhood memories flashing across my eyelids. My wonderful parents, Edward Senior and Mae Elizabeth, the names of my brothers: Gabriel, Matthew, John, David, Joseph, Daniel, Cain, Luke, and my twin Edward Jnr. Every family memory I would ever need.

As I swung my feet out of bed, the familiar smile of the man who had met me on exercise, beamed down at me.

"My darling Cherie! You made it!" My head felt as though I had been on a weekend bender and his over exuberant mood was making it worse.

"Where the hell am I?" Looking round the room, it was as though I had stepped into a 1940's period drama. The dressing table, the wardrobe, even the radio was the right period. This was either the crazy inner workings of my screwed up mind or someone thought I would enjoy living like Alex in Ashes to Ashes. As I looked round the room, I saw a uniform hanging ironed neatly on the back of the door, photographs of my new family on the dressing table.

"You are precisely where you wanted to be. Now before I leave you to enjoy yourself, I just need you to tell me one thing. Who are you?" I just stared at him. It wasn't a particularly difficult question. But one that took a little longer than normal, whilst the new memories worked themselves out. _I knew who I was, but I couldn't decide between the me that I knew and the girl now residing in my head._

"My name is..."I faltered, whilst the memories coursed their way through my brain, rearranging, themselves into the right order.

" My name is...Elizabeth Mae Reedman. I am twenty two and I am a Lieutenant in the US Army. I graduated from South Philadelphia High School in 1938 aged sixteen; it was talk of the neighbourhood! My Ma and Pop were proud, but wary as I would have to be mixing with the older kids, but I did okay. I then applied to the Thomas Jefferson School of Nursing.

A lot of people thought I was too young, but after an interview with the Dean and the senior Nurse, I was accepted on scholarship and I started in the winter semester of 1938. It was tough as I had to live in the dormitory with the other girls. I had never slept outside our house before, let alone live away from my parents. After four years, I graduated a qualified Nurse in July 1942 at age twenty."

"I had been studying for my exams when the news broke of the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbour and I knew then that I had to do something to help. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing! My best friends (who were all boys!) had volunteered for the Army or the Navy and I felt left out.

I'm not the type to sit at home and twiddle my thumbs. So straight after I graduated, much to the dismay of my mother, I volunteered to join the Army Medical Service. Women weren't allowed to serve on the front line, "far too dangerous for a little lady like yourself" Had been the welcoming line at the recruiting stand.

Graduating from Basic Training as a 1st Lieutenant, (you're meant to graduate as a 2nd Lt, but I was already a qualified Nurse). My first assignment was to one of the aid stations in Hawaii. Most of the nurses were Naval, but they were happy to have the extra hands.

My job was to help the injured sailors who were recovering from the attack. But it wasn't enough, there's only so much you can do after the doctor has tried to stitch them back together. There are only so many times you can lie convincingly to a man who you know is going to die. I'd always said that if there was a nurse or medic out there on the battlefield, with surgical skills then the men would have a better chance of survival. But as a woman I had to learn to keep my mouth shut."

The man who was now perched on the chest of drawers was smiling so widely it could have split his face in two.

"What are you smiling at? I have all these things in my head as though I had been there and lived her life and yet I haven't actually done any of it!" It made no sense to me.

"But you did do it my darling. That is _why_ you have the memories. Now please continue." I just sat there staring at the wall. Waiting for the memories to glide back into place, every now and then I would have a flash of Sarah or Matthew, but it was like they were clouded in a fog and I couldn't see them properly.

I carried on sifting through these unfamiliar memories. "After about two months or so, I was ordered to report to the Co's office. I wasn't worried or even scared (The CO was the one that would hand you a telegram from The War Office). I had only ever met the CO once and that was the day I reported in. He was a tall guy, good looking strong features, brilliant surgical hands. He had come from a long family of Doctors and Nurses. I marched in and saluted. He just handed me a piece of paper and said I was dismissed. As I turned to leave his office, he called out to me.

"Good Luck Lieutenant Reedman." Saluting for a final time, I went in search of a quiet corner to read my letter. It was only after the second time of reading it that it hit me. I was being posted out and I had 2 days to sort my life out.

I was being shipped out to Africa to tend to the wounded. It was so different to the hospitals back in the states. We didn't get fresh water every day. We couldn't sanitize all the equipment. It was dreadful and yet strangely I enjoyed it. There was always something to do, always someone new to talk to. That was until November 1942. The aid station where I was working was hit by the French Moroccans. God, it was the worst sight of my life."

I stopped. Allowing the memories to play their little film inside my head, I started to cry. Recalling names of the people I had come to care for, names of soldiers who were almost on the mend, until they were blown apart. I just stared. There was nothing else I could do.

Reaching down to my leg, I pulled back the mid calf brown uniform that I was wearing to reveal the scar I had seen in my head. I had gotten it when the hospital had been attacked in the second month of the campaign. I was attending to the wounded when a mortar had landed close by and peppered the backs of my legs, if it hadn't been for a very close childhood friend who decided to verbally whip my butt for being out there as he carried me to safety, but whilst also panicking over how I was doing I wouldn't have made it.

Another mortar landed in the exact same spot I had just occupied. I was shipped back to the States on the British Hospital ship HMS Duke of Edinburgh, arriving in New York in the January of 1943." The memories faded. The film stopped playing inside my head. I stood up, a little dizzy on my feet but otherwise okay. It wasn't as though I had no more memories of what happened after I arrived back in New York, they just weren't as clear as the others.

Turning towards the Angel, I just stared. Anyone would think I was a retard the way I was staring at him _I knew exactly where I was, but it couldn't possibly be real, I couldn't bring myself to say the words in case it wasn't_. Opening my mouth to ask the question, the Angel pre-empted me.

"You're in England. Aldbourne to be precise and it's the September of 1943. It's seven thirty in the evening. I hope you enjoy yourself my dear. Good luck Cherie!" A knock at the door interrupted our goodbye. I turned back only to find my companion had left. There I was, in the middle of war torn England and I was completely on my own. Opening the door I was greeted with broad smiles and a plume of cigarette smoke. 1st Lt. Sophia Carter, from New York State and 2nd Lt. Jennifer Green from New Orleans were stood waiting for me to invite them in.

"Geez Betty, I've been hollering for you for the last five minutes! You fall asleep or something?"

"No sorry, I was just touching up my face." Sophia smiled.

"Hoping to catch yourself a solider are we Betty?" I whipped round. I had no idea why I felt annoyed. Shaking it off, I grabbed my purse and slipped on my shoes.

"I am not out to catch anything Sophia. Except a large scotch and a good nights sleep. Now are we leaving, seen as you keep telling me we are going to be late?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**This chapter has been edited slightly as I have mad changes further on in the story. Don't worry they aren't significant ones! Hope you enjoy xxx **_

The pub was crowded, like sardines in a tin can, "God its like Mardi gras!" exclaimed Jennifer, who was being pulled over to the bar by Sophia. I just stood by the door soaking in the atmosphere. I couldn't believe I was there or here, depending on how you look at it. I was experiencing history in the present which meant I had to deal with time travel and alternate realities and I didn't do too well with all the sci-fi stuff. Breaking me from my trance, Sophia was now dragging me by the hand.

"Come on Betty! Don't stand by the door like such a nun!" Glancing round the room I suddenly got nervous. There I was being dragged across the room to stand at a bar, where I was in plain view of a bunch of guys who were either going to hate me from day one or, make my life a misery until they thought I'm worthy.

"Hey guys, someone take this tray my hand is killing me!" The dark haired sergeant asked his friends.

"George, are you being a girl?" The drinks were taken from him by a tall dark haired corporal who had yet to notice the three reasons for George's sudden pain. Patting his companion on the back, George side stepped round him and headed off back towards the bar.

His companion's eyes followed him, spotting us three at the bar. Calling out to his friend, "Luz, you lame-ass snake, I give you five minutes before you strike out." Flashing Toye his famous smile, he headed for the bar anyway.

"Erm, excuse me ladies, would I be allowed to buy you a drink?" Sophia just smiled at me. She had seen the exchange between George and the other soldier. Turing round to see who was asking she flashed him a smile that would stop traffic and almost caused George to drop his drink.

"What a kind offer?" Sophia loved the attention and would most definitely be taking this new sergeant up on his offer of a drink. I didn't think he wasn't expecting three female officers to turn round and greet him, let alone accept the offer.

"Thank you Sergeant that would be lovely, mine is a scotch on the rocks." Collecting three orders and handing over the money to the barman, who almost choked on his pipe when he saw the scotch was for me, George invited the three of us to join him and his friends. With Sophia revelling in the attention and Jennifer being that little bit too shy, I played piggy in the middle. Walking over to the table I could see the other soldier's faces all a little shocked that their friend had actually spoken to us and we had accepted his offer.

"Hey Georgie, where you been?" A voice laced with a little Irish spoke out from the table.

"I was introducing myself to these lovely ladies." Then it hit me, he didn't know any of our names. Thinking on my feet I curled my arm through his.

"George, was ever so polite to buy my friends and I a drink," extending a hand to the Irish man. "My name is Elizabeth Mae Reedman. Second Lieutenant, U.S Army Medical Service." Everyone feel silent. The Irish man stood up. "Erm, I'm Sgt Marlarkey Ma'am. Donald. And this here is…" Don introduced me to all of the other men on at the table. There was Cpl. Joe Toye, who got slightly annoyed at his Christian name being used. "Malark, only my mother calls me Joseph and only when I did something badand I'm in trouble"

There was something about Joe Toye that would make any woman lose the ability to stand. The man could be reading the phone book and it would send a lot of women heading for the bathroom. Sat next to Joe was the biggest man I had ever seen in my life. He stood to shake my hand and introduced himself as Sgt Bull Randleman. He was quiet but when he spoke it was something relevant and not just the general shooting the shit. The last man to be introduced was Private Roy Cobb. Just his manner and persona said he didn't want any of us to be there. He had kept himself to himself while we were all chatting away. Then the subject changed to the war, which was all everyone ever seemed talked about. No matter who you are or what you're job was, everyone talked about it. Cobb didn't really say much throughout the night, but later on after one too many beers, he decided to voice his own opinions and made biggest mistake of having a dig.

"Shit the Army must be real desperate if they are sending _women_ out on the front line. I mean seriously, do you think you're going last out there?" Looking at me and then at the other men for a little support, all he found was a pissed off Lt.

"Excuse me private, I didn't quite catch what you were saying. Please repeat it so because sounded like you were slandering my sex and accusing me of being incompetent in my job." Cobb was silent, he had no come back. I was angry, not enough to chew him out in front of all his friends, but enough so he knew that I was not one of the "normal" nurses.

"Private, have you seen what someone looks like when they have been peppered by a mortar grenade?" Cobb rolled his eyes. He knew, or at least he thought he knew what I was going to say.

"Please Ma'am, I have seen the photographs. I know…" That was when I snapped, I cut across him.

"You may have seen the photographs Private, but have you heard the boys scream for God or their mother, because when they do it suddenly gets very very real. Have you ever met someone who's survived a mortar attack?" Cobb shook his head. He was on his own; none of the other guys were willing to back him up on this one, even if he was the more experienced one there.

I got up from my seat. Sophia was whispering to George about what I was about to do. Looking from Sophia to me and back to Sophia, George looked shocked.

"Well Private Cobb, you have just met your very first mortar survivor." I walked to the empty chair that beside Joe Toye.

"Hi Joe, can I borrow this chair and your coat for a second please?" Handing me his coat I wrapped it round my waist and wiggled out of my stockings. Sophia squealed in the corner, causing the rest of the lads to turn and look at her. Joe just sat there and stared, a look of wonder on his face.

"Thank you Joseph." I flashed him a smile handing him his coat. I don't know whether he was shocked or stunned that I had used his coat to strip in the bar, but I got a stunned nod back in return. Dropping my stocking on the table, I turned my attention back to Cobb and stepped up on to the empty chair next to him.

"Look at my legs private and tell me what you see." Cobb just stared at me, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"Excuse me Ma'am?" I wasn't in the mood to repeat myself. There was mumblings from around the table. Sophia and Jennifer quietened them down, whispering about the many occasions I had done this previously to prove a point.

"Look at my legs and tell me what you see?" Cobb reluctantly looked at the backs of my legs. I repeated more firmly this time, "What do you see Private?"

"There are scars, ma'am. Lots of scars." I went and sat back in my seat. "Well private now you can say you have seen Mortar scars first hand. A word to the wise though when you know who you are talking to and know what they have been through, then you might be in the right company to moan and bitch about who they are sending out onto the front line. But if you don't, then I would suggest you keep you mouth shut."

Shoving my stockings into my pocket, I looked round the table to see a lot of shocked and stunned faces. They didn't really know what to do with themselves. It was only when George Luz piped up that everyone cracked a smile.

"Gee Lt. don't worry about it, you'd still give Rita Hayworth a run for her money!" Laughing at his compliment that seemed to break the tension, I thanked him and excused myself from the bar.

"Are you fucking kidding me Cobb?" Toye sneered at the Private. Forgetting he was in female company, he looked over to Jenny and Sophia.

"Oh, sorry Ma'ams, I erm…" Sophia just smiled.

"Don't worry Cpl Toye, we have heard it all before. I mean my father used to swear a little, but Betty now she's the one that doesn't bat an eyelid at that!" I only heard the part of the sentence.

"I wouldn't bat an eyelid at what Sophia?" I knew where she was going with it. Sophia and I had met when I landed in New York. I was placed in her care and it was as though we had been friends forever, we just clicked. There was no describing it. One day Sophia come yelling down the corridor, skidding to a halt outside my door. Breathless, she threw the local paper at me. The press have gotten wind that I was there and what I had done in Africa. I told her not to tell anyone else and if anyone from the paper started asking questions, she was to tell them I had been transferred out of the hospital. Sophia couldn't believe that I had been to Africa, let alone been out on the front line, saving men's lives being injured and then coming back for more. "You just don't hear of it." From then on she was my guardian, spokesperson and bodyguard. If anyone tried to push the subject she would tell them to back off. If she thought that it would help me, then she was the girl who would get me noticed.

"Oh Joe swore. It was nothing really. Just saying that Jenny ain't never heard all that bad language before and well daddy used to swear like that when he had a little to much to drink." I rolled my eyes. My brothers had been a rowdy bunch of souls and sometimes their language was a little choice.

"I suppose the fact I am the youngest of ten kids, all older brothers, and I grew up in South Philly doesn't help either!" All the heads turned in my direction when I mentioned home.

"You're from South Philly?" Luz looked intrigued.

"Yes I am its nothing special. It could get kinda of rough and sometimes you would have to stand your ground." I smiled. Memories flashed in my minds eye of scraps with the other kids.

"Don't be fooled though boys, she's the kind of gal that would wade right into the middle of a brawl and break it up!" Some of the guys scoffed at the idea, but Sophia shook her head.

"Go on Betty show 'em!" I lifted up the curl that lay across my forehead in a neat wave. All the boys crowed round.

"How in the blazes did ya get that?" Malarkey's Irish tang asked the question everyone else was thinking.

"I was shoved through a plate glass window. See ma boys, the three youngest of my elder brothers, ma best friend Billy and his brother Ernie and me, well we were all fighting with the kids from 16th street. An' this kid comes running at me with a baseball bat, so to save me from getting a beating, ma mate Billy throws me through the window!" The boys laughed.

"He threw you through a window?" Malarkey just stared.

"Jeez, you would definitely not get any of the girls in my town fighting!" I laughed, as the memories became clearer, I could explain them better.

"Don, I wasn't fighting. I was there as the ref. See the rule was that the ref couldn't be anyone from either street that was involved, but seen as the other kids from the near by streets where too chicken to be ref, I said I would. I wanted to fight, but as normal Billy started hollering at me. So I was chosen to be the ref. One guy didn't like it, so he come at be with a bat. So Billy being Billy, he had to step in and do something about it. When Billy finally pulled me out that shop window, I was all cut up like a Thanksgiving turkey. The older kids took me to the corner shop on our street and then he went to go and fetch our Ma's. I tell you, he still owes me for not letting his Pop whack him one! I had never seen Billy so scared in my whole life!" The atmosphere had relaxed a little and so had I for that fact. I wasn't as nervous as I had been a few hours ago. The guys seemed to enjoy listening to my stories. I told them about where I was from and what had happened out in Africa. George kept saying that it was a nice change to listen to a 'lady's voice'. He was told to stop sucking up! I had almost forgotten that a little over three hours ago I had been standing in the middle of Catterick training area on my test exercise.

A new round of drinks brought new people to our table first came Floyd Talbert. He was a lovely guy, not to bad on the eye either. Everyone had a few stories abut home to tell the group, which thankfully gave me a rest. Then in walked Joseph Liebgott. I couldn't help but follow him from the front door to the bar and then through the crowd. Sophia caught me staring and gave me a nudge.

"Betty Mae, you quit your staring otherwise you'll go cross-eyed." Looking down at my hands, I fiddled with the hem of my jacket.

"Evening guys! What's going on here then?" Liebgott's voice rang out. I thought my heart was going to give out, what with the way it was beating ten to the dozen. "Ma'am, this is Joe Liebgott or Lieb for short, you know so you don't get us mixed up." I looked at Toye and then Joe. They were completely different. Toye was American-Italian and had the raspiest voice I had ever heard. Looking at Liebgott, he was for a modern word 'cute'. He had big bright eyes and cheeky smile, the complete polar opposite to Toye, and I was torn already. _Oh Jesus Claire! Pull yourself together would you please and stop thinking with your Libido! _Shaking the images from my mind, I reminded myself that I was here to one job and one job only. Look after the men, survive and get back to my time. I wasn't here for a fling, romance or anything else.

"I doubt very much I would get either of you two muddled up! Oh and Toye, you call me Ma'am at the bar again when you know my first name, you'll only ever be known to me as Joseph whether you have done something bad or not!" I smiled at him. Nodding in understanding, Toye got up from the table.

"Same again?" Sinking my drink, I handed him my glass. I hadn't liked whiskey when I had lived in the noughties. I had beenmore of a vodka girl, but with rationing you had to take what was available.

"Yeah why not, one more can't hurt." I stood to head to the ladies, when I was bumped into. I lost my footing and landed straight on my backside. Our boys stood up yelling at the guys from another company who had gotten a little too rowdy. Hauling myself up, I told them not to bother and that I wasn't hurt. Dusting myself down, I tried again to make my way through the crowd, then I saw him. It was as if the whole world had stopped. There he was in the middle of the crowd as always, laughing and smiling with his friends. The one constant in all the new memories I had, the face that had repeated itself a thousand times already. He had pushed me through a plate glass window; he had broken my nose, and watched me graduate. I was a completely different person, there was no more 'I'm Claire pretending to be Betty, I _was _Betty. In that split second her entire life had taken over. Standing still, I whispered his name, unable to believe that it could really be him. He couldn't have heard me, I barely heard myself. Saying it a bit louder, I was only barely audible above the din. I was repeating myself over and over as I slowly got closer until I was only a few feet away and I said it just little bit louder.

"Billy?" It didn't sound right as it left my mouth. I tried to say it again, but my mouth had dried up and I froze. I was suddenly scared and didn't want to embarrass him in front of his friends. That was the old side of me, trying to pre-empt what other people are going to say. _He's your best friend you plonker! Get over there and see him! _Swallowing hard, I shouted over the din.

"BILLY!" He heard me. He turned round to see who was calling him and he dropped his glass the shock sweeping over his face, paralyzing him. Beer and glass went everywhere! Not caring about the stares and the silence which had now engulfed the bar, I nervously walked towards him.

"I found you! I really found you!" Saying nothing Billy just engulfed me in the biggest hug. The whole bar was looking at us. It wasn't every day the company got to see their newest nursing officer and sergeant in a hug that implied a much deeper friendship. With Sophia out of her chair and standing next to me in nano seconds, Billy let me go of me but kept one arm round my shoulder.

"Betty, honey who is this?" I turned to Sophia. I was crying; I couldn't help it. I hadn't seen Billy in over a year. Wiping my tears with the backs of my hand, I quickly pulled myself together.

"Erm, Sophia, this is Billy. This is my best friend, this is my Billy!"


	4. Chapter 4

**_So here comes Chapter 4! Many thanks to Master of Wishes, EmmyMK and SusyQ for their reviews. They are much appreciated! I hope that you enjoy xxCURAHEEXX_**

Billy just kept staring at me. We had rejoined the guys at the table and after the initial shock of their Bill being my Billy, we settled straight back in laughing and telling jokes. I hadn't realised how much I had missed him, until he was there sat next to me. I kept touching his shoulder or grabbing his hand, needing the physical contact to prove this wasn't a dream.

"Here you go Betty," George Luz sheepishly handed me a pint of beer. I had asked for the same again, but it turned out that the landlord's whiskey had run dry.

"Thanks George." I was getting a little bit worse for wear and realising that I had a CO's interview the next morning decided that this would be my last one.

"So Betty, just how long have you known Bill?" Tab had asked. His head was resting on his hand and his eyes were almost closed, too sleepy really to listen to the reply, but I gave it anyway.

"Well, I have known him since I was about two ish. Our Ma's were, still are, good friends. I tell you, we couldn't play them against each other because they'd just holler down the street and if they found out you weren't telling the truth, you used to get whacked!" Billy just started laughing.

"Like when Ernie nicked all that beer from Wonky Louis? He stashed in your Pop's tailor shop! Ha-ha, when he came back it had all gone!" I was remembering little bits here and there.

"It was only gone, because you drank it all Billy! Man was Ernie mad! I remember him hollering all the way down the street and into my backyard. And there we were sitting in the tree house like two pickled onions!" Billy nudged me slightly as I swigged my beer.

"I did not drink it all. You did remember! We were playing God save the President!" I almost spat the beer all over the table.

"OH MY GOD! I haven't played that since!" I couldn't stop laughing. Deciding to take my beer off me before I spilt it, Sophia enquired as to what the game was.

"God save the President? I ain't never heard of that one!" Sophia had been brought up in New York, with an alcoholic father and a mother who couldn't do enough for their only child. This amount of freedom or lack of discipline lead Sophia to be come acquainted with drink at a fairly young age.

"Basically, you take a dime, quarter, whatever small coin you have and you drop it into someone else pint and they have to drink it as fast as they can, before the President drowns. But seen as we are in England, we'll call it God Save the King!" Everyone had perked up a little. People were becoming interested, especially when Cobb decided to open his mouth.

"Show us Betty. I mean I don't know how you can say that you can do it; we all know broads can't drink!" I just looked at Cobb. Billy was choking on his drink next to me. "You are shitting me Cobb right? Betty has been sat here at this table, the same time as you and matching you drink for drink and she can still talk without slurring her words! You know you really need to learn when to shut your yapping!" It was a gypsies warning, but Cobb didn't take any notice. He finished the pint he was drinking and quickly grabbed his next.

He had already annoyed me once this evening and now he was just getting on my nerves. Deciding to put him in his place once and for all, I challenged him to beat me!

"Really Cobb you know like I told you how you should think before you open your mouth, well you didn't. I suggest you had better dig deep now, the bet is a pound and you need tuppence for your drink." Turning to Billy, I asked him to do the honours, just so that Cobb or anyone else couldn't say I had cheated.

"Jeez, I don't see you for a dam year and you're already asking me for money!" I just smiled. Malarkey was dancing round the table taking bets on who they thought would win. Our little encounter had drawn quite an audience. The fact that Dog and Fox companies had joined us in the bar, not to mention various other officers who could make it all that more embarrassing for me and Cobb.

"Okay people," Billy shouted getting everyone's attention. He was leaning over the two pints, a tuppence pence piece in each hand. "Your aim is to drink your pint in ten seconds or under, whilst saving the King from drowning! You are not allowed to pick up your drink, until the King has reached the bottom. We clear?" Both of us just smiled. Cobb sat there so confident, with a few supporters behind him.

"Alright then, here goes." Dropping the coins into each drink, it felt like minutes had passed watching them sink to the bottom, but the moment it was there, I had the glass to my lips. _Now I know why I chose whiskey!_ Taking as big a mouthful as I could, I looked at Cobb across the table. He was half way through his pint, but from the pale, slightly clammy look on his face, he was forcing himself to finish it.

Taking the last mouthful, I caught the coin between my teeth. Slamming the glass upside down on the table and standing to salute the picture of the King, after all the 2010 Claire was English. I sat back down. Cobb had finished and was trying to stand, but his legs gave way and he landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, much to the amusement of the three companies in the bar. I leaned over him, his face looking a little green round the gills.

"Next time, Private, I suggest you keep you mouth shut!" Cobb passed out. I didn't enjoy embarrassing him, but when he labelled every woman as pathetic and feeble, it just pissed me off!

Looking out across the room, I noticed that another officer had entered the bar. I hadn't seen him before, but he looked a mean-ass. You can tell if they are fair or if they got a kick out of making your life a misery. He was one of those that real please in making it a misery. He was trying to shout over the din which unsurprisingly came to no avail. Grabbing Billy, I hoisted myself on to a chair to stand over the crowd of men.

"Billy hold me still, I feel like I'm back on that dam boat!" Grabbing my knees, he rooted me to the spot.

Realising that I wasn't going to be able to shout at them, I whistled and everyone turned to look in my direction, which I think annoyed the dark haired Captain.

"Right Gentlemen, as much as it has been an eventful evening, it is now time for the bar to close and the Landlord to assess what ever damage you drunks have caused. You all have five minutes to drink up" I glanced down at Toye, who was watching for people who didn't like the idea of being told what to do by a female officer. Whispering to him, I asked who the officer was that had just walked in.

"That's Captain Sobel. He's the CO." I suddenly went green. I had an interview with him tomorrow and here I was clearly intoxicated, standing on a chair, with no stockings on, issuing orders to his men! _T__hey'll listen to you better than they will him! _ Knowing that is could go one of two ways and preferably not getting a chewing on my first day, I tried to make amends. I called out to Captain Sobel.

"Sir, would you like the chair?" He glared at me. Just the look on his face told me he didn't want me around, let alone issuing orders to his men. The guys were starting to leave taking no notice of Sobel.

"Easy Company, stand fast!" He waited for them to stand still. "Just to remind you all that to parade intoxicated or even smelling of alcohol will result in disciplinary action. Officers included." He threw a look at me. "Now drink up and under platoon leader's direction, head back to barracks. Dog and Fox Companies, direction under your NCO's and officers." Joe and Billy helped through the crowd, I was thankful it was all over; as I was sure I wouldn't have been able to drink any more! Taking a seat so the room wouldn't spin any faster I noticed that Cobb was still slumped on the floor. Grabbing Billy's arm I pointed at him. Billy couldn't hide the smile.

"He's an ass Betty. Serves him dam right for picking on a gal from South Philly!" I had to think about what I was going to say as Captain Sobel was making his way towards our table. Yanking Billy's sleeve I whispered in his ear.

"I suggest that you get Cobb up and out the bar, or at least get him in to the toilet before the good Captain sees him in that state whether it's his fault or not!" Catching the eye of a couple of the other guys Billy nodded to Cobb, who was fast asleep in a heap on the floor. I couldn't help but laugh. I knew so many blokes from regiment that had done exactly what Cobb had done and it was plastered all over Facebook, but this was the 1940's and they didn't even have a decent telephone network, let alone mobiles, internet or social networking!

With the help of Don Malarkey, Joe Liebgott and Bull Randleman they manhandled Cobb into the toilets just in time. George Luz, who had also become completely bedazzled by Sophia, which wasn't at all surprising as she was the prettiest thing I had seen, insisted on walking her home. Jenny had left us earlier as she was feeling a little uncomfortable and she was the first of us with the CO for interviews, so that left the five of us zig zagging down the street. Fumbling for my keys I leant on the door of support, but as Jenny had left it on the latch, I stumbled into the hall way

"Awww blesh, she's left it open for ush!" Pouring myself into the front door I turned round to hug Billy goodnight.

"Hey you are going to get me into damn trouble! Seen fraternising with an officer is a chargeable offence!" Billy just winked. Engulfing me in the bear hug I had missed so much, I was home. I had missed him so much, but then memories came flooding back, making me pull away so fast I thought I was going to fall over. I just stared at him, realising I was staring at him with a horrid look I slapped my hands to mouth and legged it to the toilet out the back. I wasn't going to be sick; I just had to get away from him.

I didn't want the memories or the feelings, but they all came at once. I could hear footsteps in the courtyard. Yanking the chain, I walked out to greet Joe Toye. "Just thought I would come and make sure you're alright. Bill is trying to prize George away from your friend before he makes even more of a fool of himself!" he smiled, I just smiled back. Hearing Joes' voice made me feel instantly better, although I still could still see the memories floating in my mind.

"I'm alright Joe! I just don't think mixing the warm beer with the scotch did my stomach much good!" Shivering slightly with the chill air we headed back inside. Sophia was saying good night to Billy and George at the front door.

"Right Sophia, get to bed! We have to be up in a few hours, and presentable at that!" Sulking she waved to the guys and bid them all fair well. I lingered at the door slightly. Billy leaned in to quickly peck me on the cheek, but I moved as my whole body tensed up.

"I don't think that is appropriate Sergeant. Good night!" Looking at me confused and hurt, Billy just nodded and followed Joe and George down the street. Closing the door, I let out the most painful sob. Allowing the tears to fall, I trudged my way up to my room. Crawling into bed, I did nothing but cry myself to sleep as the memories floated round my head.


	5. Chapter 5

**_So chapter 5 is up and running. I hope that you are enjoying it. Pleeeease review and let me know what you think. It really does help when you recieve the reviews. They are truly the best thing an author can recieve. It's what keeps me uploading the chapters and what keeps me going, knowing that people are enjoying what they are reading. _**

**_Thank you once again to the reviewers from the last chapters. xxCURAHEExx  
_**

The next few months just blurred together. I was soon formally introduced to Captain Herbert M. Sobel, who turned out to be the most tyrannical man I had ever met. The man ran his company through fear, which is the worst thing to do. The men were the best in everything they did, that was clear, but they also worked together against Sobel. He was sometimes just down right nasty, just because he could be.

I was part of the company, but at the same time I wasn't, I was therefore fortunate not to be subjected to his inspections or his critique. But it did make me feel bad for the men and officers who were. The slightest infraction and your pass was revoked. The men had become weary of it all and all just wanted to get to Europe, even talking about making "mistakes" on duty.

I had become good friends with most of the company, Officers and NCOs alike save a few Sergeants who were "too far in Sobel's back pocket". Dick Winters, Lewis Nixon and I had become good friends. Nixon and I would normally be smoking, whilst Dick had his nose in a military tactics book or something. Dick had been promoted to1st Lt and Company X.O (Executive Officer or 2ic) before they had left for England. The promotion, from what I had been told "was because he was a good guy, a good officer and leader."

Whilst it was clear that Sobel accepted the promotion on the outside, it was his inherent personal jealousy of Dick that caused a lot of the problems, I think he was jealous of the respect that he had so easily received from the men without trying, but which Sobel had achieved by force. Dick was, from a modern soldiers point of view "shitted on from a great height", because yet again, Sobel could do whatever the hell he liked.

It had all come to a head, in November 1943 when I was walking through Battalion HQ to find Nixon pouring over the regulations for a court martial. Taking a slight detour from my destination, my curiosity got the better of me.

"Hey Nix, what ya doing?" I perched myself on the edge of a near by desk. He didn't look up as he handed me a letter. Speed reading it, I quickly put two and two together.

"Dam Black bloody Swan!" Nixon looked up. It had taken me a while to adjust the profanity that was used in the 1940s and to curb my 2010 language was taking a while.

"Not what I said, but then you're a lady!" Nixon just smiled, he was a nice guy, nice smile and not bad on the eye either. His only down fall…the guy was a drinker, not a full blown alcoholic but he sure was going to get there fast if he didn't slow down.

"Please tell me that the reason you are looking at books that look a century old is so that you can find a way to get Dick out of this mess and give a Sobel a big middle finger salute!" Nixon just shook his head at me and went back to his books.

"You know Betty, you hang out with the NCO's far too much!" It was technically true, however when ninety percent of your friends are NCOs, you don't really think of rank getting in the way.

"That's because all my friends are NCOs Lew and the only reason that I am a Lt is because they wouldn't make me a private for that very reason!" I lit a cigarette. I had started smoking again and it was the worst thing I could have done. I was going through a packet a day and well on the way to killing myself before I was thirty! _ But if you get home to 2010, then you would never have smoked them, therefore not getting ill!_

"Well either way, I think I agree with the one finger salute. Now I just need to find a way for Lt. Col. Strayer to set aside this ridiculous court martial and move Dick out of Battalion Mess and back into Easy." I spluttered half the smoke that filled my lungs. "They have moved him out of the company! What the hell are they playing at? I mean seriously, Strayer wants Dick to stay here and make Omelettes while they all go into combat with HIM?" Nixon looked up at me, it was clear that he had been staring at the books in front of him for far too long and he definitely needed a break.

"The good Colonel moved Dick so there wouldn't be any sort of power struggle between the two of them. Not that Dick wants a fight with Sobel anyway. The man's an ass. He couldn't court-martial someone if he had the manual in front of him. Stupid Bastard!" I just laughed! Nixon was the worst than me for swearing and with Dick not say so much as boo to a goose in that department, Lewis made up for him too.

Realising that Nixon was actually trying to get some work done, I headed back down the corridor. I had a meeting with Col. Sink about some battlefield medical lessons for the Sgts and enlisted men on what I thought would be relevant for them to know. Col Sink had liked many of my proposed ideas and said that the lessons could be introduced that week and every Friday morning after that.

"Okay, Good morning Gents, for those you who don't know me, I am 1st Lt. Elizabeth Reedman and with the assistance of the company medics, I will be showing you all some basic field medical skills." I was nervous as hell. I had to stand behind the podium otherwise I would have been shaking like a leaf.

"Just before I start, could I have a show of hands of those of you who have already been in a combat situation before?" No one raised their hands. _Brilliant, this could scare some of them right out the army!_ Taking the cover off the A frame stand I had in front of me, some of the men gasped.

I had gotten photographs of some severely wounded soldiers from the British. I didn't want to scare them I just wanted them to know what they could be looking at, better to scare them now with pictures than have them freaking out on the front line. "Gentlemen, what you see here is a gunshot wound to the chest," and so the lesson went on. Once I had settled in to it, my nerves managed to calm themselves down.

After numerous theory lessons I decided the boys needed something more practical, as a few of the junior privates were beginning to imitate Churchill the nodding dog! "Right, I need a volunteer!" I looked round the group. Most of the seniors and my friends decided that the grass at their feet was suddenly a darn sight more interesting to look at than me. It was only because I saw someone move in the corner of my eye that I noticed Pvt. Lorraine walking up behind me.

Turning on my heel to face him, he saluted and handed me a letter. "Sorry interrupt your lesson Ma'am." I tore open the envelope. It wasn't every day that you got a letter from the Battalion CO. Turning back to the group, I could feel the uneasiness of Lorraine's presence and that of the letter grow. "The following Sergeants are to report to Colonel Sink's office immediately, Lipton, Ranney, Harris, Grant, Guarnere, Randleman, Talbert and Martin." I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what.

Billy wouldn't look at me when I looked at him, trying to work out what was going on. Ever since I had acted 'strange' after the pub our friendship had become strained. We still laughed and joked, but we weren't that close anymore. As they climbed into the back of the jeep, I turned my attention back to the lesson. Singling out the youngest private, I asked him to lie on the ground, as he was going to be my demo dummy.

The lesson was due to end within the hour as the weather had decided to turn against us and it had started to rain, I told the men that under direction from the Corporals, they could stay here to 'revise' for the assessment in the afternoon or they could head back to barracks and practise their bandaging skills in their rooms. Dismissing the class I headed to the barn that the NCO's had adopted as their mess.

I had no idea why the sergeants had been requested by Colonel Sink, but I was sure as hell going to find out. I was annoyed with them for reasons only the modern Claire could explain. They had accepted me as their friend, as one of the members of their company, but yet they had kept me out of whatever was going on. The fact that Billy had not told me was what hurt the most. Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I took a seat and waited for them to return. I didn't know what I was going to say or do, but I did know that I was going to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

"We were lucky, Col. Sink could have had us all shipped backed to the states to stand trail for mutiny." I heard Billy's voice come through the open door.

"Dam it Bill, we were more than just lucky, Col Sink could have had us all shot." I was instantly on my feet. The very idea that Billy or any of the guys could have been shot had me riled. The conversation came to an abrupt end the minute the guys walked in and saw me.

"You guys wanna tell me what the hell is going on?" I sounded very much like the officer I didn't behave like. Not one of them could meet my eye. Suddenly, for the second time today, their boots were a lot more interesting. Standing there like small children caught with their hands in the cookie jar, it was instant silence. I looked at each guy in turn, but not one of them had the guts to say anything.

"Billy you gonna tell me what is going on?" I was worried and also annoyed that he wouldn't tell me. That suddenly our twenty odd year friendship meant nothing.

"Dam it Billy, I don't want this to get any worse than it already is." Looking straight past me, he just stared ahead.

"DAM IT SERGEANT GUARNERE. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! I want an explanation and I want one now!" I didn't want to order him, but the idea that someone wanted to harm or shoot _my _Billy made my blood boil. Billy was getting annoyed. It was easy enough to tell, the tips of his ears went a very dark red.

"Dam it Betty, it's sorted, jus' drop it wouldya? You don't need to get involved." That just ticked me off. There I was on the outside of everything; all the company meetings, all of the company lectures and now my best friend was shutting me out as well.

"Why Billy? I do I need to drop it? Do you not trust me enough to come to me when you're in trouble? Is it the fact that I'm wearing a bar on my cap stopping you? Do you want me to hand it in? Will that make you tell me?" I was panicking. I didn't want him to shut me out.

"Do I have to tell you everything?" It shut me up. All the replies in my head, all the arguments I had ready just vanished. I wanted to cry. Here was my best friend pushing me away, telling me that actually he didn't need me anymore.

"No, I guess not." I whispered, I didn't have anything else to say. No smart come back, no wise ass answer. I just looked around the room. Most of the guys had left the minute me and Billy had started hollering at each other, only Lip and Bull had stayed in the barn, albeit in the corner out of our way. I didn't want to look at Billy, and thankfully Lipton gave me that excuse.

"Bill, why don't you just tell her? I mean seriously, would you rather she heard it from you or Sobel himself?" Bull had moved over to where Billy and I were standing, I had a cigarette burning in my fingers. I was still stunned at the idea that Billy didn't need or even want me there. Squeezing my shoulder, Bull gave me one of those brotherly smiles.

"Aw now Bill, if you don't tell her then I will. Dam it; she's our medic for cryin' out loud. She's gonna be with us out there. Now, we can't be keep secrets from her, I don't care how long you've known each other. She's one of us Bill. She's part of Easy, whether you like it or not. You want her to go with him? You want her to die because of him?" I looked at the three faces surrounding me. I had no idea what any of them were going on about.

"Bull, please just tell me, what is going on?" I looked at Bull, his face showing no emotion, save that of guilt. Lipton had found something interesting on the floor again, and Billy, well he just couldn't look at me.

"I know it's got something to do with Lt. Winters' court-martial. Just tell what the hell is going on! What is so disastrous that none of you can tell me? Do I have to go and ask the man himself or will I have to go higher and ask Col. Sink?" Bull closed his eyes; there was an inner conflict that he was not enjoying. Sighing, he spoke with no emotion.

"We all turned in our stripes." Billy kicked the ground. I was sure that he swore under his breath, although if he did, it was obviously something he didn't want me to hear. "Said that none of us want to be NCO's in Easy no more. Not with Sobel running the company. None of us'd trust him with a cake knife, let alone a bayonet. We had to do something to get their attention; we just didn't figure on us get our asses chewed out for it."

"So you all think that by stamping your feet like children and throwing your toys out the crib is going to get you what you want? Jesus Billy you of all people should know that acting like a spoilt baby is going to get you no where." Billy looked up. I knew I had over stepped the mark the minute the words had left my mouth.

There had been no need to have a go at them. But I was angry. None of them had faith or the trust in me to come and explain how they were feeling. He just looked at me. Laughing slightly, like he did just before he smacked Lucas Marshall when he caught him trying to kiss me after my high school dance. He moved towards me. There was a manner about him that scared me. He was pissed off and it didn't matter who I was, nothing was going to change that fact.

"I will _not_ follow that man into combat. He's dangerous Betty. He could end up getting every man in every squad, in every platoon killed and that goes for you scab lifters too! I mean Jesus Betty, who do you think he's gonna be screaming for when the Jerries finally do us all a favour and shoot the bastard? Huh? You, Doc Roe, or Spina? And then what? I'll have to go back and tell your Ma that you died in some stinking hell hole trying to save some guy's life, that just got every one else killed."

I just looked at the man before me and it was only then did it slap me square in the face. This was not the Billy that had protected me from the bullies from 16th street, or punched Lucas Marshall for trying to kiss me. This guy walked talked and sometimes acted like my Billy, but truthfully had left him back in the states. The training had changed him, hardened him in many ways and I wasn't so sure I liked this new Billy.

"Well I would rather go home in a box having fought for my country, than go home after being shot and forever labelled a traitor. Just remember what Father Martin said. Only the seventh circle of hell is reserved for traitors." The next thing I knew I was on the floor. I didn't even see it coming. My lip was throbbing and I could taste the iron in my mouth.

Wiping my lip I saw red, it was the first time in twenty years that Billy Guarnere had ever hit me. I just stared at him. His face as picture of anger, guilt and worry all rolled up into one. He had no idea what he had just done and yet the blood trickling down my face made it real.

Taking hold of Bull's extended hand I pulled myself to my feet. Running my now dirty hands down Billy's tunic, I looked him square in the eye.

"Fucking hell Billy, when did you become Joe Jnr?" I looked down at his hand; he was shaking like a leaf, something he always did when he was nervous. I was pissed and on the verge of tears. _But I'll damned to hell if I'm going to cry in front of him_. Bull had stepped forward, trying to get in between us in case I wanted to take a swing at Billy. I just waved him away.

"Sergeant, do you think it is acceptable to be walking around in dirty uniform when in barracks?" He just looked at me. His face was blank.

"What?"

"I asked you a question. Do you think it is acceptable to be walking around barracks in a dirty uniform?" Billy got the hint, I wasn't playing games. Snapping to attention he looked straight ahead. He had been expecting me to shout and scream at him. But to play it cool and calm had him on the back foot.

"No ma'am. I do not think it is acceptable."

"Good. In that case you will report to the camp laundry at 0600 hours every morning and help the other NCO's there with the laundry until I tell you otherwise. Is that understood?" Billy acknowledged the order, I nodded to the other guys and left.

I wanted to run all the away back to the ferry port. I wanted to curl up under the stars and gaze at them as though nothing had ever happened. I wanted to be laying there hands entwined with not a care in the world. Instead I headed to the ladies bathroom, my lip still bleeding and the tears causing dirty tracks on my face.

**_OOOOOOOOHHHH, sooo Billy and Betty have had their little spat about Sobel. I hope that you liked it. I wanted to show how different they had become when they were apart. Please drop me a line and tell me what you think. No massive flames please, this is after all my first B.O.B. ff. xmwahx_**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6! Thankyou soo much to those that have added this to their alert list and to the TWO of you out there that have added this to their favourites list, it is truly appreciated! Thankyou to the reviewers who took seconds out of their time to send me a little feed back and again it its truly appreciated! xxCURAHEExx  
_**

My face throbbed as though it had been hit with a baseball bat, but I wasn't going to allow that to stop me from doing my duty. Arriving at the medical centre for my afternoon shift it was quickly apparent that my new injury was topic of barrack gossip. Thankfully their speculations couldn't further from the truth.

"Well I head that she was caught with one of the British business men and his wife gave her a good walloping." Back in 'my' time, I was used to the gossip mill and I just ignored it the same. I hadn't noticed the soldiers waiting to be seen until the nurse handed me one of their files.

"Private Liebgott, Joseph D?" I looked out across the waiting room. Liebgott was too busy whimpering in pain to notice anyone else, but Joe Toye eyed my face.

"Lieutenant? You okay?" He nodded towards my lip and the dark bruising that was now forming underneath my eye. Embarrassed I turned away.

"I'm fine thank you Joe. I just walked into a wall."

"Yea one that had a fist attached to it." I didn't respond to his comment but quickly changed the subject. I turned to Lieb who bless him, looked like he could burst into tears at any moment.

"Now what have you done here Joe?" Washing my hands for a second time, and rubbing them together to warm them up, Toye helped his friend on to the couch.

"I, ahh, was on PT with some of the guys, and we were running and ahhhhh, I got my foot caught in a dam rabbit hole. My ankle went one way and I carried on straight. Ahhh, watch it would ya Joe!" Liebgott lay down. His arm flung over his head while I surveyed the damage. Realising that I wasn't going to get his boot off the conventional way, I head for the draw.

"Joe, I'm gonna have to cut your boot off okay? Your ankle is too swollen to get it off any other way. Don't worry; I'll get you a letter to take to the quarter-masters for some new ones." Instructing Toye to hold Lieb down, I cut of his boot. It wasn't easy and it did involve a lot of "Jesus Christ's" from both men, how I didn't get a matching black eye on the other side I'll never know. Calling for some ice and large bandages, I instructed Lieb to stay off his feet for at least a week.

"But Lieutenant, I have exercise next week!" I had heard the excuses before; I had even given them myself, back in the future.

"Joe, if you try and walk on that ankle in the state it's in now, you'll make it worse and I can guarantee you that you will not be jumping out of any plane when the time comes. It will crumple on impact and you will be useless to everyone!" I had exaggerated slightly but only to get him to do as he was told.

"Yes ma'am. A week you said. I will make sure that Captain Sobel is aware of it!" Handing him a light duties letter, a prescription for pain killers and a letter to issue crutches, I also booked him in for a review in a week's time. He started hobbling towards the door; I knew that he would be trying to ditch his crutches as soon as possible.

"Private Liebgott, if I catch you trying to walk around barracks without crutches, I will charge you myself! Is that understood?" I could do nothing but smile. Liebgott just nodded, a little miffed that I had rumbled his plan before he had even had time to think of it.

"Yes Ma'am. Is that all you have for me? I'm just gonna go and get them tablets and crutches." Toye told him that he would go get his meds and crutches, since he couldn't walk, as long has he quit hollering like a baby.

"Thanks Joe." I busied myself round the room, trying not stand still in one place for too long, I was nervous as Lieb was now watching me with a careful eye.

"Do you think lying to Joe Toye is a wise idea? I mean that guy, he will find out the truth even he has to break bones to get it." I looked round at him. I was nervous and at the same time scared that he would really find out what happened.

"It's nothing Lieb, really. I was still a little tipsy this morning from last night and I walked into a wall." The lie even sounded unconvincing to me. But the more I told myself what had happened the more I told myself I had to believe it. Joe just looked at me; there was no way that he believed me. Not in a million years. He sat up, wincing in pain as he did so. I made the mistake of walking to close too him and he grabbed my hand.

"Liebgott?" I wanted to stay strong. I looked down at him. Half of me wanted to shout at him, ask him what he thinks he's going grabbing at a senior officer. But the other half me wanted to tell him

"Who hit you Lieutenant? I know it was a guy, cos the last time that I checked, walls don't sprout fists." I wanted to explain everything that happened. But the reason me and Billy had argued wasn't common knowledge, and it would be wrong of me, as an Officer to tell someone who wasn't meant to know.

"I can't okay? I can't tell you what happened. It doesn't matter, it's all over and forgotten with. You don't need to worry yourself." I was shaking like a leaf, _just like Billy_. The very thought of him made me break down. I hadn't planned on a complete emotional breakdown in front of a soldier, an enlisted one at that. But then again, I was still getting used to being called Ma'am myself. I was still thinking in 2010 mode, where I was the enlisted not the Officer.

Others could never understand why I chose to surround myself with the guys and not people of the same rank or even the same sex. I didn't get on with girls very well in my life time and we were all treated the same. To come to the 1940's where it wasn't equal opportunities and be expected to get on with everyone is delusional at best. I barely knew the man in front of me but yet there was something about Joey that I trusted. Checking the corridor for anyone hovering about I walked back over to him.

"Okay, if I tell you, do you promise not to tell another living sole aside from the fact that I will court marshal your butt all the way back to frisco?" I couldn't believe I was even doing this. I was about to rat out my best friend, the one person who had been my constant, who had always been there for me.

"I swear. Who was it?" I took a deep breath, I was scared. Scared that he wouldn't believe me, after all I was going to blame one of his friends for making my face look like a punch bag.

"It was Guarnere. We had a fight and I said something's he didn't like and he smacked me." Joe just looked at me. I thought he was gonna start hollering at me, start calling me a liar and a floozy for accusing one of his mates.

"The bastard!" Joey exclaimed! "The lousy rotten Italian bastard!" It took me by surprise that he had believed me just like that, no questions, and no hint of disbelief. I just sat and cried. With the hug from Liebgott, I hadn't realised that Joe Toye had over-heard what I had said. He had left the crutches and pain killers with one of the medics and had headed straight for the barn. If I had known what he was going to do, I would have tried to stop him, but I was still to learn that if Joe Toye sets his mind on something, it was near enough impossible to stop him.

**_Okay, so Betty can be a normal girl and get upset and cry! I didn't want people to think she was made of stone. Hope you enjoyed it! xxx_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Wow! I am up to chapter 7 already! and to think that only published chapter 6 a couple of days ago...im spoiling you! This chapter brings to ahead everything that has happened between Bill and Betty so far... I am sorry if the tension his putting a little stress on your nerves, i don't mean it intentionally! Thankyou to everyone who has read my fanfiction. I hope that you are enjoying it. Thankyou to all the reviewers, especially the regulars now, your thoughts on the chapters is fantastic and inspires me to keep writing. XXCURAHEEXX  
_**

It was only later that night in The Blue Boar that I come to hear about what had happened in the barn. Sophia and Jenny had returned from their respective units exercise and both wanted to know how I had come to imitate a punch bag.

"Oh my God Betty! Look at your face? You been fighting with the boys again?" Sophia laughed. It was only when I didn't reply with a smile that she knew it had been a one sided fight.

"Betty? What happened?" I was about to explain everything when I spotted Joe Toye entering the bar. I excused myself from my two friends. Weaving my way through the crowd I caught Joe's elbow.

"Joe, what happened?" He just looked at me. He was flexing his knuckles as though they were sore. It didn't take a medic to know that they were bruised and swollen. "Joe? Please tell me that you didn't hit Billy! Please!" I was panicking. Things were bad enough between Billy and I and I didn't need this to make it any worse. "It's not right hitting a woman. I don't care whether you grew up together. He had to be told that it was wrong." Enveloping me in a bear hug, it was his way of saying that everything would be okay. Cigarette between his lips he took his pint from the bar and hold of my hand. I was worried that my whole life was now falling down around me. As we headed back towards the girls we were confronted by the one person that I really didn't want to see.

"Jesus Betty, you've only been here a week. I didn't know you could work that fast…" Billy didn't have time to say anything else as Joe, for the second time that day, smacked Billy in the mouth. The bar went quiet and the Officers cut through the crowd like bouncers on a Friday night.

"What the hell is going on?" Lewis Nixon shouted through the crowd. Billy was picking himself up off the floor, his nose bleeding again. I turned to Lewis, who had yet to see me that day. The fact that my face had now turned a deep shade of purple silenced him.

"It's okay Lew, I can handle this." Removing the bars from my uniform, I asked him to stand there and just keep an eye on things. I walked in between Joe and Billy who were now both looking for round three. I just looked at Joe who backed down. Billy on the other hand was itching for a fight. He took a swing at Joe whilst trying to avoid me, I blocked him. T_hank god for martial arts!_ I then slapped him hard across the face. My hand stung like no body's business, but it seemed to get his attention.

"William Guarnere you EVER try and punch a friend of mine again and I swear to God, I will beat you black and blue myself. Your accusation was just below the belt. I am not someone who puts it around, unlike some people." Billy just stopped. I don't know whether he knew what I was getting at, but it made him think twice.

"The fact that I didn't even tell Toye is beside the point. The only person I told was Liebgott and then he's holed up in bed with a bad ankle. Joe smacked you because he wanted to, not because I asked him to and certainly not because I'm sleeping with him. Now if you want a fight with someone, you come to me! You hear me you arrogant son of a bitch." I turned to Lewis and he handed me back my bars. I was on the verge of tears but it didn't matter, I just wanted out.

Heading out into the night, I didn't know where I wanted to go or if I even wanted to talk to anyone. Lighting a cigarette, I just let my feet guide me. All of the day's events were playing through my head. The fact that my twenty year friendship with Billy was now officially over tore me in two. I had no idea how I was going to cope without him, but yet on the other hand, I was thankful that I now had this new freedom to make my own friends. Without even realising it, I had headed to 2nd Platoons' barracks and then it was only when I was knocking on the door to 1st squads room, did I realise that I did want to talk to someone, just not anyone in the bar.

The days and weeks following the argument between Billy and I rolled on by. We didn't deliberately avoid each other, but I think that when word had reached the higher ups about what happened, they did some power shifting and I stayed in the medical centre a lot more than I normally would have. The rain became the new constant. It made me wish I was back at work with all my gucci kit, especially my gortex and my gaiters. When the rain finally stopped the snow came.

The outcome of Dick's court-martial resulted in Sobel being transferred to Chilton Foliate to run the jump school that had been set up there and 1st Lt. Thomas Meehan being transferred in as CO. The attitude within the company changed considerably. Suddenly the guys were relaxed and at ease. They still had the inspections and the long marches, but there wasn't the fear that had come to be associated with Sobel's reign.

Jenny and Sophia were just as busy as I was. Even though the three of us shared a tiny cottage we were ships in the night. Whilst I was getting ready to go to work, they were packing their bags and heading out to the exercise field. The fact that I more often than not had the house to myself was nice. I could sit in the quietness of my own company and read or write letters to my parents and brothers.

I even tried to write a letter to my brother Matthew from 2010, but I was only able to get the first line of our address written down and whilst I could rattle on about what had happened to me during the day, I was unsure how he would respond. It seemed that the more I accepted this life the more I lost of my past. It frustrated me at night when the BBC played the British National Anthem, I could only hum along, as though it was song I had only heard once and I couldn't quite remember the words. It frustrated me when I couldn't answer who the Prime Minister was and had to be told by Lewis.

Christmas came and went, as did New Year. However unlike New Year back in my past that I spent alone, working behind the bar or staying in with my parents. I spent New Year's Eve in the arms of someone who loved me.

"You know we could get into a hell lot of trouble if someone found out about us!"

**_OOOOOHHH...Who could Betty have spent NYE with? Answers on a review slip! lol I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 8 will be posted very soon. xxx_**


	8. Authors Note

To the lovely people who have read my story so far, Thank you soooo much! I write this little note from the train, as I head down to my new job! Unfortunately I won't be able to update for about 6 weeks! I am soo sorry about that, leaving you all in suspense about who Betty is with. But I do promise to post as many chapters as I can when I come home.

Much love to all.

Claire xxx


	9. Chapter 8

**_MERRY CHRISTMAS my darlings! Please forgive the gap between my last post and this one. Changing career's is not the easiest of things to do, especially when you have a live story in you head and all you want to do is write! I have, however have more chapters for you to dig your teeth into! May I wish you a very merry Christmas and all the very best for 2011! _**

**_AN: This story is of my own fictional creating and is in no way intended to portray the lives of the real men of Easy. It is solely based on the TV characters of the series. Betty, Jenny and Sophia were born and created from within my own head! _**

"You know we could get into a hell lot of trouble if someone found out about us!" Joey rolled over on to his front. His dog tags hanging down in front of him glinted in the bedside light. I knew what he was saying was true.

If anyone found out about our relationship, the pair of us would be in serious trouble. More so me as I was the ranking officer. I would be transferred out, possibly even sent back to the States. They could even court-martial me if they felt like it. They couldn't have Joey thinking about me when he was need.

I stared at the ceiling; it had been the third night in a row that Joey had stayed over at the cottage. It was nice to fall asleep and wake up in someone's arms. I didn't want to think about the consequences of if we were discovered. I smiled as I rolled over to look at him.

"Well we are only going to be discovered we aren't discreet. Like you keeping the noise down." I said with a smirk. Joey knew what I was getting at and started on a new tickling attack causing me to yelp loudly.

"No, Joey, stop. Nooooo, please, no, Joseph, stop it right now!" I couldn't breathe for all laughing I was doing. We had started spending time together not long after the argument between Billy and I. Joey could see that I was trying to be strong about it, but with the fact that our friends were intermingled didn't help. If he would sit at a table, I would get up and leave. Eventually I would just sit on the other side of the room away from everyone else.

We hadn't planned on anything like this happening but Joey and I just clicked as friends. At first it was just talking, telling each other how our day had gone, and discussing the war, guessing where we were going to end up. Then it went to Joey coming round for dinner at the cottage instead of eating with the guys at the mess. To try and disguise our involvement, I would always invite more than just Joey to dinner.

Thankfully I had Jenny around to show me how to cook as I was not domesticated in the slightest and had no idea how to cook on rations, but we didn't do a bad job of it. The old couple who rented the house to the Army had dug up their back yard to make way for a vegetable patch and the chickens provided us with eggs. It was a truly humbling experience. I had gone from eating almost anything I wanted, to having to watch how much butter I was using.

But it was always nice when some the boys came round to the house. From the first meal, I always said that you leave all ranks at the door and pick it up on the way out. Dick and Lewis took off their bars and left them in the gold dish at the front door. And I told the guys to come in a new shirt that had no rank sewn on, that way we were all privates and therefore would not have to worry about stepping on anyone's toes.

It was only two days before New Year's Eve that Joey's and my relationship became intimate. It wasn't as corny or sleazy as it could have been back in 2010, but it was gentle and loving and thankfully not fuelled with alcohol. It had not been a race to see who could get the other in to bed first, but a mutual wanting. I was unsure about Joey's feelings, but for me, it was the first time I had even thought about loving someone.

"Now, who was the one saying we should keep it down! Last time I checked, you were the one making all the noise!" Descending into giggles, Joey pulled the covers over the top of us. It felt normal to be around him, I wasn't worried or scared about what he would say to the other guys.

As the mud, snow and ice of the winter months thawed to leave us with the daffodils and the blue bells of the spring, I began to feel very apprehensive. Every morning I would wake up with a fear as though I'd had a nightmare and looking out of the window would clear my demons away. I had this feeling that something big was coming. But as I had quickly learnt the harder I tried to remember the more I forgot. Joey and I were still very much involved, although now that the girls had come home, it wasn't quite as easy to see each other as much as we would have liked.

Easter came and went and finally the weather picked up enough for the short sleeves to be pulled out of the wardrobe. I continued to write home to my parents and brothers, most of whom were also in a military service or other. It was always the highlight of the day to see if there was any mail waiting for me. Although my mother was three thousand miles away from me, she was the most astute woman I had ever met. She knew when something was wrong just by the sound of my letters.

I had not noticed it myself, but it was only when it neared my birthday that I realised I had not mentioned Billy in any of my letters home for almost two months. I had not done this on purpose, but purely for the fact that we did not have that much contact with each other. I suppose it was a case of 'out sight out of mind'. She never asked me about who Joey was or whether he was a good friend, she just hoped that God would bless us and keep us all safe, no matter what grievances we held against each other.

My mother was one hell of a woman and one that was very good at giving you the guilt trip. She would always write the Lord's Prayer at the bottom of the page, just in case she thought I had forgotten it and would always open her letter asking me if I had prayed that morning. _Gee mom, do you think I am that much of a sinner? No wait a minute, don't answer that question!_ She explains that she knows I am a good catholic child, and that she knows I will see many a terrible thing when I go off to war and is only looking out for me. _I feel terrible now, if you knew what I was doing out of wedlock….good catholic girl my bum!_

"Ha!" I exclaim. It was the end of April and my apprehension had steadily grown worse. I began to ask Lewis if he had heard anything. But with being only a medic there was not a lot he could tell me. Not that he didn't want to. I took to walking early in the morning to relieve some of my stress and anxiety. I had this feeling something was coming, but I couldn't explain my fears, save only to one person, who had promised me that he would not think I was crazy.

"Ha what?" Joey was still half asleep when I had returned from my morning walk to Head-quarters to pick up the letters I had deliberately left there the night before. I turned to see my lover, hair tousled in a fashion that could only make him look downright gorgeous and a smile on his face that did not suit the hour of the day.

"My mother! She says and I quote "I know you and William have been fighting. You do not mention him anymore in your letters and after a long discussion," she means gossip "with William's mother, we have come to an arrangement." I just looked at Joey who had now thought it was interesting that two women, three thousand miles away could interfere with the friendship of their children. "Can you believe this! "We have decided that as you and William share the same birthday, you can receive your presents from one another.

I hope that this reaches you in time for the 28th, as I have sent you William's present and William's mother has sent him yours. I truly wish that you would put aside whatever it is that has caused you to stray from one another. You have been friends your whole lives. God would not have done that, if he had not meant it for a reason. Loving you always and forever. God Bless you. Your Mother." I threw the letter and parcel at Joey, who was now wide awake and laughing at me and my fizzing.

"I mean seriously Joe, she wants me to apologise? For what? I have nothing to apologise for." I was fuming and pacing the space in front of my bed. "He hit me. He made me looking like a flaming punch bag! I mean not that she knows that and I know dam certain Billy would never have told his parents that he slapped me. God, Papa Guarnere would swim here himself and beat Billy if he ever found that out!" Joey sat there staring at me. A slight frown settled in the middle of his forehead.

"What is it?" I asked him as I stopped my pacing to get ready. I didn't have to be at the medical centre until that afternoon, but I had volunteered to help out the local doctor this morning and I needed to be at the village hall in an hour.

"You never told me it was your birthday today!" Joey looked so hurt. It was true, I hadn't told him, because to me it was just another day. One that I shared with someone who I didn't get on with and all the fun of celebrating had vanished, just like our friendship.

"Because it's just another day. Don't fret over it honey. My mother makes a big song and dance about it, because I am one of two pairs of twins in our family and I am the only girl. Besides you've had bigger things to think about this week!" I crawled onto the bed, planting a kiss on his cheek, to try and appease his hurt. Taking my hand out from underneath me and rolling me on to my back, I just stared up at him.

"But I'm not just anyone! I **want** to celebrate the day you were born." He kissed my cheek, jaw line and collar bone. My breathing became shallow and he almost had me, until I caught sight of the clock.

"Joey, I have to get up. I need to be at the doctor's surgery in the village in an hour!" He took no heed of my plea, however pathetic it had sounded!

"Joey! I'm…gonna…be…!" My breathing laboured as he worked his magic. I still couldn't get over the fact that there were things he could do to me that no 'modern' man had even thought of. Rolling over me with a smug smile on his face he watched me as I tried to stand up and carry on getting dressed. Locking myself in the bathroom I took a look in the mirror. The person staring back at me looked like me, even sounded like me, but she was slimmer, her hair was a slightly lighter shade of blonde and her eyes were a brighter blue. Telling myself to get a grip, I pinned up my hair and put on my uniform. Feeling some what presentable, I headed back out to the bedroom, to find Joey rooting around in my bedside table. Surprised and a little embarrassed he snapped his hands round his back.

"Joey, what are you doing going thought my table?" The poor guy looked mortified that I had caught him. His face was slowly going a very dark shade of red and he spoke so fast I couldn't understand a word, that was until he mumbled "Happy Birthday" and took hold of my hand. Dropping the contents of his hand into mine, I understood what he had said.

"I had wanted a box to put it in but I couldn't find one small enough." I stared at the contents of my hand, it was beautiful. A Silver Star of David on silver chain. I just looked up at him. The one from round his neck hand gone, that was when I realised what I was holding.

"No Joey, you can't! Your mother gave you this before you left home." I walked forward to hand it him back. Joey just put his hands behind his back and stared me down.

"No. It's mine to give to whoever I want and seen as I can't get you anything else half decent and most certainly not a ring of any description, it just kinda says that, well, you're mine." I felt like crying. It wasn't Betty that felt like it, because she was totally head over heels. But Claire, the 2010, burned more times that she can count Claire. The one that was convinced she would never fall in love wanted to cry. Holding it up in front of me, I studied the detail. On one side of the star, ran the Hebrew words Joseph Daniel (דניאל יוסף) and his birthday May 17th 1915 (17 1915 מאי). I could feel the tears running down my face as Joey enveloped me in hug. Even though I was the officer, he was still the eldest between the two of us and sometimes I did become the girl that I tried so very hard not to be.

"Thank-you Joey. You don't know how much this means to me." He wiped my tears away with his thumb; his fingers lightly brushing my cheek, Joey just planted his lips on mine. It settled me instantly. He loves me and even though he hadn't told me vocally, it didn't matter because he showed me in so many different ways. Connecting the clasp, I stood in the mirror and studied it. It didn't matter to me that I was wearing a star and not a cross; it was the fact that it was from Joey and that was all that mattered.

"I love it Joe. I really do!" Joey just smiled behind me. Glancing at the clock, I quickly touched up my hair, applied a little lipstick and kissed Joey goodbye. He had the day off. As the regiment had worked so hard, Col. Sink thought the men could do with a little down time. It was rare, as they were constantly preparing for the coming invasion, but the good Col.'s belief is if they are rewarded for their hard work and discipline, then they will repay in kind, by working even harder. Heading out the front door and into the street, I peeked behind me to see Joey in shadows of the window. I couldn't be seen waving goodbye to him as he was not meant to be at the house in the first place.

**_And so Betty's relationship is revealed! I hope you enjoyed it! More chapters to follow! Please review...it only take 2 minutes! _**


	10. Chapter 9

**_I did promise you more chapters to make up for the huge wait that you all had to endure! _**

My time at the doctor's surgery went particularly fast. It was mainly the young children of the village coming in for their check ups and any injections that they might need. It was hard on them as sweets and especially sugar was rationed in Britain and it's always nice to get a well done from the doctor when they stab you with dirty great big needles.

After having a word with George Luz and making a few promises, I had managed to get my hands on some chocolate that I broke down into pieces and gave the children after their injections. There was even a little left over, and so the mothers had a bit, which made the day seem that little bit nicer.

After the last child had left I flopped into the nearest chair and grabbed a handful of the chocolate squares that had been left over. I had half an hour before my shift was due to start at the barracks medical centre. It would more than likely be a quiet day. No one wanted to be injured on a Friday as it meant you were more than likely confined to quarters unless you were very ill and then you were sent to the nearest hospital.

I walked through the village and out the other side, heading down the hill; it gave me the time to reflect on the things my mother had said in her letters. How I had not mentioned Billy for the last two months. It had honestly never occurred to me that I had left him out. I had even written to my mother about Billy when I had been out in Africa with Henry. I missed everyone so much.

Reminding myself that I still had to reply to a letter from Henry that pre-dated Christmas and apologise for being so bad at writing my reply, I arrived at the medical centre only to find it shut. Walking to the back of the med centre, both nurses who were on duty quickly stubbed out their cigarettes. Throwing up a salute, I returned the compliment and enquired as to why the centre was shut.

"Well Ma'am, 2nd Battalion has the day off, so the MO has said that we can stand down. We did send a runner to your home, but no one answered the door!" I frowned. It was entirely plausible that Joey didn't answer the door. Open the door, give the game away, but then on the other hand, if he wasn't there were would he have been? Dismissing the two nurses, I head round to the front. It was unusually quiet for saying it was a Friday.

There were no squads marching past, no vehicles tooting and beeping their way down the street. Heading for Regimental head-quarters I decided it was time I replied to Henry's letter, seen as I wasn't needed at work. Drafting out a rough copy in my head inserting and deleting what I could and couldn't say, I near enough had a complete letter when I reached the junior officers mess. This too was usually quiet. Shaking my curiosity I put pen to paper. Even though I knew what to write, I was in two halves whether to tell Henry about the fight between Billy and myself. If it ever got back to Billy's dad that he had tried to mutiny, he would never hear the last of it, but if I didn't tell Henry, it was as though I was lying to myself, which at the moment I was doing a great deal of.

Throwing my pen across the desk in frustration I just sat and started. Dog Company was out on the sports field behind the mess trying playing baseball. It was a funny sight, watching them trying to hit a tiny ball with a cricket bat. It just didn't look the same. Heading round the table to retrieve my pen, I found that it already sat on my desk.

"Mon Cherie, I see that you have settled in nicely!" I looked up to see the exuberant smile of my Angelic Companion. Returning to my seat, I didn't know whether I should be excited or nervous by his appearance.

"You haven't decided to take me home have you?" Raising an eyebrow, the angel just smiled.

"And why would that be my dear?" He knew that much was obvious. You don't work for the big G and not know everything there is about a charge of yours…or do you seen as you have meddled with time and alternate realities…and there I go again with the whole sci-fi stuff.

"Because I am living my opportunity and I want to see this through. Besides I thought you weren't going to show yourself, until I needed you, or the time required it." The Angel looked a bit put out that I had remembered what he told me. Floating across the room he leaned into me, as though to whisper a secret.

"You know what is coming; you know it's almost time. This is where you make your decision Cherie. Do not flounder because you have too many strings. You need to make a choice, be harsh for the short term and loving for the long." _You have got to be fucking kidding me! He expects me to understand what any of that means!_ I looked down and then back up in mere nano seconds and he had gone.

"Great leave me with a bloody cryptic message why don't you!" I was now confused and a little annoyed at his sudden appearance and disappearance.

"You don't just do that to someone!" I was taken by surprise, when I found Lewis Nixon leaning against the door frame. _Remind me again why I didn't pick him? Oh yeah that's right, because he smells like a whiskey bottle…in a good way of course._

"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness!" He said with a smirk. I could have lied and covered it up with the letter from Henry excuse. But I thought better than to lie to the Battalion Intelligence Officer!

"Well Nix, you know that the first sign of madness is hairs on the palm of your hand." I waited. His mind would tell him that there could be no such thing, and yet his blind stupidity would tell him that he had to have a look to see if they actually existed. Chuckling as I collected my paperwork on my way past, I let Nix in on the secret.

"The second sign is actually looking for them." I laughed as I headed down the hall. Handing Henry's letter in for censoring, I decided that seen as everyone else was enjoying a relaxing day off, I would as well. Walking past the pub, its shutters still up, as the landlord had decided he could not cope with the Americans at the afternoon session as well as in the evening, heading on past the bakery, the smell of fresh bread tugged at my nose.

I had missed breakfast, because well...I was otherwise engaged and lunch was a few pieces of chocolate. I knew that if I didn't eat something decent, I would be almost comatose before the night was out, especially if Joey blabs to anyone about my birthday. Grabbing a few things and heading back to the house, I had intended on a quiet afternoon of writing letters home and checking in on what was happening in the newspapers.

But that was all thrown out the window the moment I opened the front door. Sophia and Jennifer had obviously been informed of the days' significance as Joey was stood in the corner of the living room, looking very smug with himself.

"Happy Birthday Betty!" Sophia and Jenny sang in chorus. I tried to be annoyed with Joey, but it was no use. I had no logical or reasonably explanation as to why I wanted my birthday kept secret. I suppose my anxiety of the impending "big thing" might have had something to do with it, but other than that I was just being an idiot!

"Thanks girls. I didn't realised I had said anything." Joey knew my comment was aimed at him as he shifted on his feet. His cheeky grin plastered on his face, eyes twinkling with pure mischief. Something was going on but I didn't know what.

"I couldn't keep it a secret from them. Not when they saw me leaving Mrs Lee's." Mrs Lee's was the cake shop at the end of the high street. The boys would always head down there on a Friday afternoon. The tiniest, quaintest English cake shop would be completely full of loud American soldiers who had fallen in love with Apple Turnovers and Cream cakes. Mrs Lee's shop had not always prospered. There had been rumours when we first arrived that she would have to close it due to the rationing. But when bags of sugar and blocks of butter continued to mysteriously land on her back door, she only opened on Friday for us Americans.

Moving away from the coffee table Joey's smile couldn't get any bigger. There sat in the middle was a birthday cake, decorated with yellow icing and candles waiting to be lit.

"You can't have a birthday without a birthday cake!" Sophia squealed. It obviously clear, that she was a darn sight more excited about this than I was.

"What did you have to promise trade or give to have this made?" I looked up at him. I could have stood there all day, studying his face or his eyes until I knew every minute detail.

"Nothing expensive! I just said that I would Mrs Lee's little lad round a couple of the wagons and show him an M-1!"

"Joey, Nathaniel Lee is only seven…you can't let a child anyway near a weapon." He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really…and how old were you when you learnt to fire a weapon?" I bit my tongue. Joey had a point. I was being hypocritical. My father had taught all us children how to fire a weapon before our tenth birthdays.

"But I was going hunting!" Joey just laughed! It was a pathetic excuse.

"What? In South Philadelphia…please Betty. Your dad showed you and your brothers how to fire a pistol because he thought you might need one for safety, not because you were going hunting!" I caved there was no way that I could win this one. Promising me that there would be no live ammunition or a firing pin anywhere near Nathaniel, Joey left us girls to enjoy our cake.


	11. Chapter 10

**_Helloooo there. Pleeease forgive my tardiness for not posting anything for such a long time. I have recently started a new career and it is, at the moment, consuming all my time. But I have finally found a few minutes to upload a couple of chapters for you. Hope you enjoy them. Pleeeease don't forget to review them afterwards. Your reviews are what keeping me writing and posting. _**

Assuming it was just a pleasant note, wishing me a Happy Birthday I told Lorraine, to leave the message behind the bar. But when the poor kid informed me that he had to take a reply back to the Colonel, I knew it was something else. Breaking away from Nix, who had taken over from Harry Welsh, I took the envelope. Breaking the seal I opened the letter. I don't positively remember anything, apart from Nixon repeatedly asking me if I was okay.

Looking over my shoulder to read the letter, Nix called for the music to stop. Silence filled the room. I was holding in my hand a set of deployment orders. I was being told that my "assignment for the coming invasion had now been generated" and I was to ship out in two days. The idea of not knowing where I was going or the panic of not being with the boys hit me hard. It was official, I was going to war.

Feeling slightly sick and wobbly, I closed my eyes. I saw flashes of chalk board, a woman writing on the wall. "D-Day June 6th 1944." The Angel's voice echoed round my head. "You know what is coming. You know that it's almost time." Realising what he had said, I gasped. Turning to look for Sophia and Jenny I handed over the order. It had only been handed to me, as I had commissioned first, therefore making me the ranking officer. Lewis was still stood with his arms around me when I finally returned to reality. Asking for someone to grab him a chair and a drink, I told him I was okay.

"Lewis, just have someone turn the music back on would you please? We all knew that this was going to happen at some point, I just didn't figure that Sink would want to ruin my birthday. Now, please hand over your hip flask." I just stood there with my hand out waiting. Without thought or argument he handed it over. I took the order from Sophia, who had gone very quiet and looked round for Jenny. She was being enveloped in a giant bear hug by Bull. Squeaking from within his arms, I laughed. It just looked like little and large, Jennifer so tiny and fair wrapped in the protectiveness of Bull's arms.

"Excuse me Sgt. Randleman. As much as I appreciate the hug an' all…could you let me go? I think if you squeeze me any harder you might break my ribs." I had to get out of the pub. I wanted to get blind drunk, so drunk that I would have thought that this evening was a dream. That I would wake up in the safety of my bed next to Joey. I leaned against the wall, cigarette in one hand, hipflask in another. Vat 69 was a particularly smooth whiskey that liked to burn on its way down.

I would normally knock it back so it didn't have the chance. But instead I savoured its flames and the way it would make me cough and splutter after each mouthful. I had almost finished the remains of Lewis' hipflask when Sophia and Jenny came out of the pub. It was evident that Jenny had been crying as the reality of what was about to happen was sinking in. Excusing themselves from Bull and Talbert, Sophia and Jenny came over.

"Honey, we're gonna head off. Jenny isn't in the real partin' mood no more and well we need to sort a few things out before we leave." Sophia was trying to be strong. She had convinced herself that she was not allowed to cry and that she knew that her promise to herself was failing miserably. Pulling each other into a hug, she sobbed. Nothing too raw, just a sob that showed she was scared, but could deal with it. Breaking away, she whispered to me that her and Jenny had the keys to the med centre and would be sleeping in the on duty nurses bunk, seen as there was no one in there tonight. Kissing me on the cheek, they headed back to their escorts.

I finished my cigarette, taking my time in expelling the smoke. _So this is what its like to know you're going to war? I mean, I've been to a war zone before…well you can't really call six months in Basra dangerous, but still. _The realisation that I could never come back hit me in the face like a piece of two by four. If I didn't make it through, then what would happen to me? I started to panic. The idea that I would never see any of my friends again, in the past or present scared me…a lot.

As I headed back into the bar, the faces that had been all smiles and cheer were now resigned and thoughtful. It was obvious that the arrival of my orders had brought the silent and reserved fears of their own to the surface. Handing back the hipflask, Lewis looked a little put out that I had finished off his supply. Taking the key for the back door out of my purse, I unclipped it from the bunch. Heading over to the usual crowd, I accidently on purpose tripped over. The closest hand conveniently was Joey's. As he helped me up, I passed over the key to the door. Slipping his hand back into his pocket, I dusted myself off.

"Woops! I think I might have had a little too much to drink! I don't know what Capt Nixon keeps in that hip flask of his, but it sure puts the edge on the world!" The guys laughed. Their eyes betraying the smiles they had on their faces. Bidding everyone a good night, my eyes lingered on Joey for a fraction of a second longer, moving from his face to his pocket, I could only hope that he caught my drift. _God this is complicated. Give me a mobile any day of the week._ Grabbing my coat, Dick Winters, who had been watching the whole of the evening's events from the safety of his stool, helped me with my coat.

"Would you like an escort home?" Deciding that it would be best not to walk home alone, as the alcohol had actually kicked in, I accept his offer. "Yes, please Dick. That would be lovely, even if you are only there to save me from myself and tripping over my own shadow!" Overhearing our conversation Nix joined us.

"I think I will be heading on back as well, seen as the land lord has run out of whiskey and someone here has drunk the entire contents of my flask!" Smiling innocently, I chucked at his frown as I linked arms with him. "You know Lewis, Vat 69 isn't going to be the easiest of whiskey's to find…how are you ever going to cope?" Dick chuckled. Unbeknownst to me, he had asked him exactly the same question, just a few months earlier.

"I'm not going to cope if you're around, you'll drink my whole supply! I mean seriously, when did you ever hear of a woman drinking whiskey?" I just laughed. Reaching the front door of the cottage, the lights were on. _Sophia I love you! _ Wishing goodnight to both Dick and Lewis, I closed the door. Heading upstairs I sat on the edge of my bed. I could hear the lock turn and the door creak open then his footsteps on the staircase. Opening my bedroom door, I just looked up at him. The walls around me had been shattered. I was vulnerable and scared and the worst thing was he saw it. Trying to smile through my tears, Joey just wiped them away.

"I'm scared Joey. I don't know what I'm going to do. How am I meant to cope? What if they reassign me and I don't get to be with you and the other guys!" It was as though the lid that had sealed in all my fears had been broken and they just spilled out. Joey just held me. There wasn't anything he could do or say. Neither of us knew whether we would see each other again after I left. There was no guarantee of anything now. He lifted my chin, his brown eyes gazing at me. "I know that we will get through this. I don't think I have ever been so sure in my whole life. But I know that we see each other again." The clarity and confidence in his voice picked me up. If Joey believed it then there was no reason for me not to.

The day had started well, waking up in the arms of my lover, being surprised on my birthday by my two closest friends and my company and then it had ended disastrously with me having the rug pulled out from underneath me and my whole world turning upside down. I stood up, as Joey shuffled further back on the bed, his hands interlocked behind his head. It was hard to not imagine for a second that this wasn't real. That we weren't in the master bedroom of our house somewhere in the states, that I hadn't received orders to head off to war, but another equally life changing notice. Shaking my head to rid myself of the hopes that were far from coming true, I changed for bed.

"So where are Sophia and Jenny? I don't think they are going to want to see me in the morning in just my underwear!" I just laughed. _PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER WOULD YOU WOMAN! Yes okay you are heading off to war…so freaking what, this is what you asked for remember! This is what you wanted. So take advantage of the fact you have the house to yourself and have a little fun. _My inner self had decided that mopping around wasn't going to get me anywhere.

"They are staying at the medical centre in the on duty nurses bunk." I called from the bathroom. I washed my face, and brushed my teeth only to find Joey leaning against the bathroom door way. His shirt unbuttoned, his white vest underneath hiding his toned body and his dog tags jangling around. _Jeeeezus! Can I just rattle your cage now or would you like to me to do it in slow time! _

"So, does that mean we are on our own tonight then?" He said, snaking his hands around my waist and planting kisses along my shoulders. Joey only had to look at me and I would have caved.

"Yea I kinda guess it does." I looked at him in the mirror. He had that cheeky smile on his face and complete and utter mischief in his eyes. Spinning me round so I was facing him, I had no time to react as his lips crashed on to mine. We both knew what the other wanted and neither of us was in the mood to play hard to get. Picking me up, I wrapped my arms and legs around his neck and waist as he carried me from the bathroom, the floorboards creaking down the hall. Shutting the door with a backwards kick, we fell on to the bed. _Good girl Betty! You show him what a modern girl can do!_


	12. Chapter 11

**_So, here is another chapter for you...as promised. Thankyou to the reviewers, gothique 4 it was so nice to hear from you. Probang, it was lovely to receive an email telling me that you had added me as a favourite author. I do this so that we have the chance to escape the realms of reality, even if it is only for a chapter or two. Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think. _**

Sunlight tried creep in through the black out curtains, as my alarm clock rudely informed me that it was time to wake up. Rolling over, I expected to see Joey laying there next me, his hair all a mess. But instead I found a large daisy, one that must have bought at the crack of dawn, and a hand written note.

"_I would have rather been court-martialled for not attending my duty, however I didn't fancy letting them in on the reason why I didn't show up, they might get jealous. Don't worry about anything. You are the smartest person I know and I know we will see each other again._

_Ahava Joey." _

I frowned as I had no clue as to what "ahava" meant. For almost a second I had forgotten that Joey had told me he wouldn't be there when I woke up. Folding up the note, I placed it my pocket as I got ready for work. Wearing a pair, and throwing my spare OD's (courtesy of George), underwear and t-shirts into a rucksack, I folded my dress uniform, civilian clothes and shoes into my suitcase. If the guys were to come back at some point, then it's logical that I would too. Taking my suitcase downstairs, I left it beside Jenny's and Sophia's. They had packed theirs the night before, before they had headed to the duty bunk.

There were a few things that I had to retrieve from Battalion Head-quarters, grabbing my cap and keys I headed out the door. It was strangely comfortable to wear OD's. There was no worrying about the wind and laddered stockings, or if my scars were showing. Walking through town I saw some of the small children from yesterday and their mothers gossiping between themselves. It made me sad to think how blissfully unaware they were of what was coming, of what we were about to head into.

The download I had received the night of my birthday, had been more of a flash back. I was remembering things I had been taught in the future, about what was to happen now. Only snap shots, snippets of information. "The biggest allied invasion of all time" the unfamiliar voice circled round my head. I knew it was something big, England was the international jump point, but to know how truly big it was, no one knew. It was just a case of wait and see.

Heading up the hill, I saw Lt. Col Strayer heading back the opposite way. Asking his driver to pull over, I saluted. _Here we go, _I thought. _The start of so many goodbyes._

"Lieutenant Reedman. I have just heard from the Colonel that you have received your orders to ship out. I just wanted to wish you all the very best for invasion and hopefully we'll meet again over there." Offering his hand, we shook on it. Lt. Col Strayer had been the unlikely ally against some of the other officers and especially against Sobel.

"Thank-you Sir." I knew there was nothing there was much else to say. Saluting him again, his driver took that as his queue, shifted gear and drove on. Entering HQ, I received the usual "Good Morning" form the duty orderly. The post room was thankfully open, as I need them to know where to re-direct my mail should I get any from my mother between now and god-knows-when. Filling in all the necessary forms I left.

The Sergeant had been polite as normal, saying that awful word. _Please will you just quit with the good-byes!_ I hated every second I was in HQ. All I wanted to do was to hide! Sleep the day away and hope that the orderly, who was due to collect the girls and me in the morning, would forget. With my mind consumed in its own thoughts, I never saw the collision that was waiting to happen, as I walked straight into Lt. Thomas Meehan. He had been moved over from Baker Company after Colonel Sink had shipped Sobel off to Chilton Foliate.

Lt. Meehan was a completely different leader to Capt. Sobel and boy did it show when it came to the guys. He was fair and just, although strict at the same time. He was a man who worked for respect as opposed to Sobel who expected it because of his status as CO. Lt. Meehan, was all for the extra medics, even if we weren't the conventional type. He treated me with the same respect he treaded all his other company junior officers and certainly no differently because I was a woman.

"Betty? Are you okay? I wasn't looking where I was going?" I was in a world of my own. It was only when I was being yanked to my feet did I even register the fact I had fallen down.

"Erm…yea, I'm fine Sir. You Okay? I'm such a clumsy thing today." I wasn't all there. I had lists of things to do running round my head and all I wanted to do was just get out of there. Looking at me, as though I was the morning newspaper, Tom caught hold of my wrist.

"Betty, what's wrong?" It hadn't dawned on me that Lt. Meehan hadn't been at my birthday party. He had stayed behind an extra day to sort out the de-brief for the exercise they had all just come off.

"You don't know do you Sir?" My CO shook his head.

"I got my assignment orders last night. I'm leaving for the coast in the morning." The look that swept across his face was a mixture of anxiety, sorrow and excitement all at the same time. He knew what this meant. If the medics are shipped out, then it can't be long before the airborne is called forward.

"Aw Betty, I'm…erm sorry. Good-" I waved my hand to stop him from finishing his sentence.

"Please Sir; please don't mention that god-awful word! I will see you all again. I am not leaving forever. I am just going down the road earlier than you. That's all!" I hadn't planned on using the Company CO as a sound board, but it just happened all at once. Feeling embarrassed, I looked down at my feet.

"It's quite alright Betty. I understand. I will see you again sometime soon." Saluting my CO, he just stuck out his hand. Shaking it, Lt. Meehan just smiled. He had been a welcome breath of fresh air round the Easy Company Head-quarters and I for one would be sorry not to see him in the mornings.

Heading out the other side of head-quarters, I sat down on the stone steps. I pulled out the packet of cigarettes Joey had left for me on the bedside table. Striking the match, I watched as the flame burst up in front of me. Puffing away on the cigarette, I revelled in its magic to calm my nerves. I watched as Second Platoon had hand to hand combat. Billy and Joe were fighting each other; rolling around on the grass like they were two school kids. Muck and Penkala trying to box one another, only to miss every time and poor little Perconte was paired up with Bull, who just towered over him. Joey was fighting with Webster, who wasn't really interested and would rather debate the war.

I could tell anyone about the smallest detail of each of the men. Lipton shifts all the weight to his right knee because of an old football injury to his left. Bull flicks his left wrist whenever he's gonna try and grab you, because it clicks and sometimes locks out and Billy, well he's got a bad elbow from when he fell out the tree house in my back yard after drinking all of Ernie's beer! I sat there in my own thoughts, happily surrounded by the noise of the boys and every day life from the head-quarters. I hadn't planned on crying, but the idea of leaving them behind threw me. The idea that I would be separated from them and from Joey crippled me. Not noticing my new companions I continued to stare, blinking away my tears.

"Gee Dick, you know I think Betty might have something in her eye! She keeps blinking a hell of a lot!" I just laughed. You could always trust Lewis Nixon to make you laugh, especially when you felt like crap. Throwing his arm round my shoulder, he pulled me in for a one armed hug.

"You'll be fine kiddo. You'll do great." Sniffling a response that mimicked "thanks", I just wiped my eyes with the backs of hand.

"I don't think I can. I don't think I'm going to be okay. How can I go ahead of you lot? How am I meant to find you all when I have to get a dam ship and you guys are going to be jumping into god-knows-where?" My fear was beginning to get the better of me and that is the worst thing to have wandering around a training base. It slowly seeps into every man's head and eventually it gets the better of them. Our silent observance of the company was interrupted as Sophia come tearing through the French doors. Skidding to a halt, the need to tell me what ever was going on was impaired by her inability to breathe properly.

"Sophia, calm down. What's wrong?" Flailing her arms around she just looked at me. The fear and dread that had plagued my own thoughts was now staring me back at me.

"We…have…to…go….now! The…driver…is…here!" I just looked at her. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I made her look at me.

"Sophia! Are you sure? When did he arrive?" I was panicking. Why I didn't know, but it was pumping through my veins like a new hit for a smack addict.

"He turned up at the house and said that orders had changed and that we were to be ready in an hour…and that was forty minutes ago! I've been looking for you for ages." Sophia was frantically patting herself down for cigarettes, until Lewis handed her his.

"Your bags are on the jeep, you just need to say goodbye." I re-coiled at the sound of that word. The definition of "goodbye" is to acknowledge the parting of someone or something. I wasn't parting from anyone, I was moving on ahead. I was the advance party if you like. Saying goodbye and meaning it possibly meant that I would never see the wisher again. Standing on the steps, Dick had given the signal for the Company to finish up PT. It was an impromptu gathering that required no introduction, save one.

"Lt. Reedman has been called forward early. She is leaving now. So say what you have to gents and be quick about it." Dick and Lewis moved over to one side. Even though they respected me as an officer and friend, they, or more Dick was a little uncomfortable with my closeness to some of the enlisted men.

It was hugs all round from everyone. Remembering their faces and their mannerisms, I informed them that I would write as often as I could. Some of the guys didn't even get post from home, which was a shame. I hugged Shifty first, who bless, him looked a little embarrassed.

"It's Okay Shifty…no one is gonna tell your Ma!" He smiled. Next was Bull. The tank of a man towered over me at 6ft 4. Only managing to have my arms around his waist, he just wished me luck and told me that he would see me again soon. Next was Joey. I kept telling myself over and over again, that I was not to cry that I was to hold it all together.

Smelling his aftershave I could feel myself crumbling. Whispering in my ear that _he_ alone wanted a letter a day, I just smiled. "What makes you so special?" I whispered back to the chuckle in his voice. I had to break away from him, more to save my emotions than to save the arousal of suspicion.

Joe Toye, ever the gentleman and fine soldier, saluted and then engulfed me a huge hug. I would miss Joe. It was true, just the sound of his voice would make even the worst day that little more bearable. "I will miss you Elizabeth." The devilish grin spread from ear to ear, as he pulled back to kiss me gently on the cheek.

"I will miss you too Joseph." I moved around the rest of the company. Shaking hands or receiving hugs. Through the last four months I had gone from just being their company medic, to their confidante, sister, mother (in some cases) and friend. I reached George Luz who had such a long face.

"Why, you really that unhappy to see me go George?" I teased. He held up a picture of me and a few other guys, George included that had been taken at Christmas.

"I am yes, but also because, well, we are gonna be loosing the best set of legs in the company. No one is gonna want to go running now!" Everyone laughed. It was something that I had noticed, only from a medical point of view, that almost every member of the company attended every PT session there was.

"Well thanks George. If you ever get to be so lucky to meet Rita Hayworth, you just remember to tell her that I'll give her a run for her money." George just smiled. A quick hug and I moved on. The last person in line was, bar Joey, the only other person I did not want to leave. Feeling myself beginning to shake and the tears roll down my face I hugged Billy has hard as I could. I didn't care that I looked emotionally inept. He was my best friend and for all I knew I was never going to see him again.

"Hey stop crying!" Billy couldn't cope with his sisters crying. I was someone that was definitely on his 'I can't handle list.' Holding me back, he just looked at me. The anger and the tension had once been like a brick wall between us was now gone. There was nothing left. The twinkle in his eye, that one of pure mischief was back.

"You're a broad from South Phili and an officer, don't even think of crying!" Pulling me back into a hug I could hear Sophia tapping her toes on the ground.

"Billy, I gotta go. Sophia is waiting for me. I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it. Do you forgive me?" I could feel him take a long breath in. Rubbing my shoulders he breathed out.

"It's not me who needs to forgive you kid, it's you who needs to forgive me. I should never of hit ya. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it. You forgive me?" I couldn't believe this was happening. It was the first time we had ever argued, but now we were all better.

"Yes Billy. I forgive you." Grabbing my wrist, Sophia pulled on me.

"Come on Betty! We're going to be late!" Dragging me away, I pulled out of her grip. Hugging Lewis, who was a little shocked to say the least. I just told him to ease up on the whiskey. "You don't know for sure if there's gonna be any left, after all I'm gonna be there before you remember!" Telling me to get outta there I moved over to Dick. Saluting him was, in my eyes the only way to leave this man. He was by far the best officer, man and friend anyone could have asked for. Extending hands we shook on the fact that we would see each other again soon.

Turning to the window on my right I saw a figure move. Placing my cap on my head and straightening out my uniform, I snapped out the sharpest salute I could find. Taking hint on what and who I was saluting, the rest of the guys followed suit. Receiving one back, I was happy. I had said my goodbyes and that was that. Turning my back on them, all I could down was hold my head up high as I climbed into the front of the jeep and left my boys behind.


	13. Chapter 12

_**So, I have a lot of apologies to make. Sorry for not updating for so long, sorry for keeping you all in suspense about what is happening to Betty and the rest of the guys. Any reviews that you wish to give, would be gratefully appreciated! x x x**_

It took most of the day and night to get where we were going. The orders hadn't specified where we were being shipped to, but when the coast appeared, it was evident that our destination was a town in Cornwall.

We arrived at the makeshift Naval Dock in the wee small hours of the morning. Our driver Peter was from West Ham and had been in the army for a little over 5 years. He had joined the army not long after his brother had headed out to South Africa.

Swapping stories about home and families, Sophia and Jenny had fallen asleep to the gentle humming of the Landover. I was far too apprehensive to even contemplate the idea of sleeping. After signing us three into the guardroom, I was given the keys to our billet in the officers sector. Nudging the girls awake, they wearily climbed out the wagon, collected their bags and thanked Peter for the drive down. I remained outside. It was the clearest night I had seen in a long time.

The clouds had all dissipated to reveal the stars. It was the most beautiful sight I had seen in a long time. Digging around in my pocket for my cigarettes, I pulled out two pieces of paper, one from each pocket. Lighting my final cigarette of the day I held the left note to the moonlight.

"_Dearest Betty, _

_Do not worry yourself with about what is to come. God would not have put you here and now if you were not meant to have a purpose in all of this, although I doubt it's to drink __my__ entire case of whiskey! I know that you will rejoin us all some day and hopefully it will be soon. _

_Love _

_Lewis."_

I didn't know what to think. Lewis had always appeared to have adopted the 'older brother' stance when it came to our relationship. The idea that he took time to write a few calming words to me made me smile.

"Good old Lewis!" Stubbing out my cigarette, I opened the 'right' note.

"My darling Betty,

Please do not despair! As I told you at the cottage, we will meet again. Be it due to the circumstances of this crazy war or because G-d has decided that it should be. I have never asked anything of you, save this. Write to me. Everyday if you can, between now and the day we see each other again. I need to hear your voice, even if it is in the sanctuary of my own mind.

Ahava my Betty

Joseph"

Surprisingly there were no tears. I just sat and stared at the letter and then once at the moon. Promising myself and God that I would see the guys again, folded up the notes and headed to bed. This was by far going to be the longest time of my life.

The memories were vague, the headlines were incoherent and made no sense to me. It felt as though I had seen them before, in a past life and yet they were about something that hadn't even happened yet. Headlines flashed across my mind "Invasion Ashore on Board Front in France", "The Greatest Invasion in History last night reported to be proceeding satisfactorily" "Airtroops seize important bridges." I woke from my night's sleep unsettled. The headlines still clear in my mind.

I had no clue what they meant, but they were with the same vividness as the memory I had in The Blue Boar when I read my orders. Thinking nothing of it and putting it down to my over active imagination, I got ready for work. None of us were due at the CO's office before 10am. Looking at my watch it was only 0730. Leaving Jenny and Sophia to sleep I headed in search of some breakfast.

Taking a seat in the officer's mess billet I sat down with a bowl of porridge and some toast. The memory of my dream was still bothering me. Looking round the mess for some paper I pulled out my pencil and scribbled Joey a letter.

"_My dearest Joey, _

_My first night here were the sea meets the shore, was unsettled. I do not know whether it is because I was not asleep in my own bed or whether it was the absence of your arms, but I do not think it is something I will rectify easily. I have an interview with my new commanding officer today. I do not know what he is like. I can only hope he is as a greater leader as our Colonel. I miss you and all the boys. _

_Betty."_

There was nothing more that I could write. I did not want to mention my dream, as it had no real significance. Handing in my bowl I walked back to my billet to fetch a little money and wake the girls so they would be up and on time for their interviews as well. Walking around the camp, gave me a good orientation of where the officer's and soldier's messes were, where the company head-quarters and the medical station were. Everything was very close to each other. Heading to the post bunk, I was surprised to find it open.

"Good morning Lieutenant. How can I help you today?" I was surprised to see Peter, our driver from the night before standing behind the desk with a large stack of letters in his hand.

"Peter! What are you doing here? I thought you were the Colonel's driver?" Putting two and two together before he could answer me, I waved him off.

"Never mind. I would like to send this to Easy Company, 506TH, 101st Airborne. They're stationed at Aldbourne." Writing it all down, Peter ensured me that it would get there as speedily as possible. Bidding each other a good day, I headed back to the billet to see if either of the girls had decided to crawl out of bed yet.

"Captain Francis will see you now Lieutenant." The quiet receptionist informed me. I had been waiting for a little over an hour, as our new CO had wanted to speak to us individually. I was little a apprehensive about starting over again. New CO, new people to work with. A completely new group of men to contend with wasn't my idea of fun. I missed the men of Easy Company more than I had expected. I missed their ability to turn even the most hardened frown in to laughter.

Straightening my uniform and fixing my cap, I marched in, came to attention and then saluted. _Not bad Betty. Not bad at all! _ I felt as though I was on show. It had not been long after I had returned from my first exercise with the company, did Colonel Sink tell me that I need to rectify my uniform. When pointing at my sleeves, I asked him if he would explain to me what the problem was.

"Lieutenant, just because you cannot jump, does not mean that you are not a member of Easy Company! Now I want to see the correct badges on your uniform." I had officially been accepted. "You're one of us now Betty!" Bull Randleman had said, as he patted me on the shoulder. And here I was stood in some smokey postage stamp size office, with a Captain for an OC who would more than likely cack himself at the first sight of a German.

"Ah yes, Lieutenant Reedman. Please come in and take a seat." The Captain was a tall man. He had a slender frame and had a short crop of jet black hair. _Christ, I didn't know that Sobel had a twin brother!_ We shook hands and he offered me a seat. The office was tiny, nothing compare to that of Lt. Col Strayer or Colonel Sink. There were no citations on the walls or letter from the General or the President. It was just a room with a desk.

"I see that your last posting was with the Parachute Regiment." Looking over the tops of his glasses, he peered up at my shoulders. This could go either of two ways. He was going to be grateful that the army had decided to establish the PIR's or he was going to be bitter and jaded about the fact he wasn't good enough to get in.

"Yes sir, I am part of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne. I was assigned to them too late to undergo jump training at Chiltern Foliate." Capt. Francis just stared at me. I think the idea of a woman combat nurse gave him a headache, the fact that three had just turned up was cause for a migraine.

"Ah I see," He was holding my file. Everything I had done before and after joining up was in that file, along with recommendations from Lt. Meehan, Lt. Col Strayer and Colonel Sink for promotion and Jump training. The CO wasn't reading it. Not properly. He just kept looking at the clock behind me, looking through me like I was an inconvenience to his day, and he had better things to be doing than talking to me.

"Well Lieutenant, down here at the 6th Medical Division, we are supporting all the infantry regiments and what not in their exercises. There's mumblings coming from up top that whatever they have planned for us is coming quite soon. So we all need to be ready. You and your two girls are assigned to 4th Infantry Division for the time being. We'll see about moving you when the final orders come in." Standing and extending his hand, my interview was now over. As I shook his hand and saluted, I got a bad feeling about this man. _He is another Sobel. Shakes you by the hand whilst trying to stab you in the back. _

Leaving his office, I caught up with Jenny and Sophia, who were waiting outside in the court yard for me. Their faces as puzzled as my own.

"So what did the good Capt. Francis have to say to you then?" Sophia said taking a draw of her cigarette.

"He doesn't like the PIR's I know that for starters. He took one look at my badges and took an instant dislike. Not to mention the fact that "he'll see" about moving me when the final orders come in! The man's a bloody joke. Didn't he get the orders from Col Strayer? We're only here because we can't jump. Nothing more, nothing less." I was agitated.

I didn't like my new CO and that was not the best feeling to have about your commanding officer. I had respect for him, because someone somewhere thought he deserved to wear two bars and not one. But it was evident that he could be a nasty piece of work when he wanted to be. Asking the receptionist for directions to the 4th Infantry Head-quarter office, I told the girls I would catch up with them later on.

The officers within 4th Infantry were pleasant enough to receive three combat nurses, although I was a little weary of Jennifer and how quiet she had gone. When we had been with 2nd Battalion, she had started to come out of her shell, become her own person. But now that the men were new, she had just retreated back to being the quiet meek Jenny. Sophia was enjoying the attention as normal, the wolf whistles and the staring. She was in her element. It was normal to see three or four more men at morning medical parades if Sophia was the attending Nurse.

I had been given the Head Nurse's position, which came with a lot of paperwork and ten other nurses to manage besides Sophia and Jennifer. With many exercises coming up over the next month I had to arrange cover for the medical centre and organise who was going out with the division.

The Commanding Officer of the Division was an older man. He was a career solider, claiming that he had wanted to "blow the devil" out of things from when he was a young boy. He had told me not to worry about my new responsibility and that once we were wherever we were going, he would see to it that us "girlies"would find the airborne again.


	14. Chapter 13

**_So, it has been a while since I last updated Betty's adventure. I am sorry, as my job has been getting in the way of my writting. I have been putting some more chapters together and getting them ready for publishing. Hope you enjoy this one. Any reviews that you wish to leave would be greatfully appreciated. x x_**

It had been almost three weeks after the interviews and several hours after I had returned from a small deployment out in the neighbouring fields that I had tied to keep my promise to Joey with sending him a small letter each day whenever time and orders allowed, but as the exercises got longer and time in the field extended, I had now ended up with five short letters to send I was also frequently getting letters from other members of the company, telling me things that they felt they could not tell the medical staff. Billy's letters were always nice to get. I was thankful that our parting had healed the rift between us. Sitting down I wrote my final letter of the week to Joey.

"_My dearest Joseph, _

_Please forgive me for sending you a weeks worth of letters all in one go. As I was away playing in the fields with my new found friends, I thought it would be better to send you them all at once rather than none at all. _

_My anxiety has still not yet subsided which I think has been heightened by the arrival of some important mail for 'us lot'. My new friends are pleasant and courteous, but nothing compares to my boys! _

_I miss you and I pray that the day arrives where we will see each other again soon._

_Yours_

_Betty."_

Heading out to the post bunk the Sunday night air was a little chilly. There had been no clouds throughout the day, which had allowed the glorious sunshine to beat down on us. Shivering slightly I pulled my jacket tight in. Jumping the small wall in front of the post bunk I noticed the lights were still on. While this was sometimes the norm during the week, I was a little surprised to find Peter up so late on a Sunday.

"Hello Peter. Putting in a few extra hours I see?" Dropping the mail in the outgoing tray I noticed what he had in his hand. Orders and there was plenty of them. Looking very forlorn and almost guilty, Peter just nodded. This was the young man who had to hand deliver the orders to each platoon commander to tell him where he was going, what he was doing and when. Waving goodbye I left him to it as there was nothing I could do. The memory, which I had tried so very hard for the last three weeks to forget, had slammed itself back into my mind's eye, the date the woman had written on the board. _D-day June 6__th__ 1944. _Looking at the calendar on the way out the door the numbers stuck out as though they were illuminated with bright neon lights. _We have just over three weeks._ I felt sick. I knew what was coming and when. The pile of orders in Peters safe told me that it was ever becoming ever more real. Sitting on the steps of the billet I looked up at the moon. She was so beautiful in her presence over the sleeping world. From the little memories I had of being someone else I had a sense of apprehension, a sense of wanting this to happen. But that was all over ridden by my own fear. The idea of heading off to another country, to save the lives of men who had been wounded for a cause not of their making made me sick. I knew what I was doing was right, but it was the fact that I had to do it at all that made me feel a little off. Sending a small prayer to the heavens for the safety and protection to all the men of Easy Company, I went to bed.

I will never forget the day my life changed completely. It had been almost four weeks since I had last seen Easy Company and almost a week since I had seen Peter sealing the orders up. I had been sat at my desk all morning. There were more medical files and paperwork requiring my attention than there had been when I was at College. Sophia had just finished her duty as Orderly Nurse and Jennifer had just returned from a four hour surgery. A sergeant from the 4th infantry had been driven over by a jeep and had a broken leg. Jennifer, having taken over from Sophia was the attending nurse and was therefore required in the OR.

I was getting frustrated with the paperwork and in all I honesty, all I wanted to do was scream! There were requests from people to have this and that done so they were fit to fight in the war. Then there were those that didn't want to go where ever they were sending us, and were playing the hypochondriac card. Holding up a file I read the apparent reason for light duties. Determining it was something for the MO to deal with I threw it on the floor.

"I swear to God Almighty Himself, if I see another case of sprained ankle or twisted knee and it doesn't come with a recommendation from any one of the nurses, medics or doctors I am going to have the man on a charge for cowardliness!" Sophia, who was both tired and used to my rants, paid me no attention. My ranting had become a common feature which seemed to have come with the job. I hated being a desk jockey, spending my days filling in these meaningless forms when I could be out there helping the medics be ready for the attack that was about to befall us. I sat back in my chair wanting to rest my eyes for only a second. The hopes of which were dashed almost instantly, by a knock at the door.

Peter meekly popped his head around the flimsy pine door. Walking in with the days post, both external and internal he handed me a rather large bundle. Letters for all the nurses came to me and then I disseminated them out. Pulling out a clip board Peter handed me another letter.

"Excuse me Lieutenant…but please could you sign for this one." My hand shook. I knew instantly what I was signing for. It had been the same question back in Aldbourne. More orders. Saluting and bidding us all a good day Peter left quickly. The arrival of this seemingly important letter gave Sophia and Jenny the spark they needed. Leaving their chairs on the other side of my desk, I took out my pocket knife. Carefully slicing it open, I removed the letter.

"Elizabeth Mae Reedman, Lieutenant. Sophia Marie Carter, Lieutenant. Jennifer Louise Green, Lieutenant, you are hereby ordered by the Supreme Head-quarters of the Allied Expeditionary Forces to take up your posts alongside the 4th Infantry Division during the coming invasion. Your Service is greatly recognised and appreciated." I was so thankful I was sat down otherwise my knees would have given way. It said it in black and white that I was going to war. But for the brief moment that I was sad, the anger and panic was beginning to set in. It said that we were to work along side the 4th Infantry, which was wrong on all accounts.

Seeing the panic and worry in their faces, I told the girls not to worry, that I would have this sorted out with Capt. Francis in no time. Grabbing my cap and my orders, I headed through head-quarters to find my CO. As I weaved my way though the maze, my thoughts wandered, from myself to the girls, to my parents and Billy to finally resting on Joey. He was my first thought in the morning and my last before I went to sleep. Seeing that the CO had no one in his office, I knocked on the door. Waving me in I saluted. He was the only person in the entire HQ that got a kick out of other officers saluting him, but I did it out of courtesy not out of respect. You salute the rank, not the man.

"Elizabeth, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" the man sneered. _God he's worse than Sobel!_ He was Sobel evil twin, but with a thin veneer of that kind of sneering niceness that made your skin crawl. Remembering to stay calm about the whole situation and remembering that it could just be an error, I treaded carefully.

"Well Sir, I have received my orders and I think that there is a mistake in them." Offering his hand to read them, he looked up at me, wanting me to explain myself.

"What is the problem Lieutenant? I don't see anything wrong with your orders?" _and just how did I guess you were going to say that?_ Receiving them back, I took a deep breath in.

"Well sir, it says that Lieutenants Carter, Green and I have been assigned to the 4th infantry? That is not the case sir. We are PIR medics. We are part of Dog, Easy and Fox companies Sir. We already have our assignments. We are only down here because we arrived too late to attend Chiltern Foliate and receive jump training. We are here just to tag along, if you will sir." Francis just stared at me blankly.

"Lieutenant, you will work with your assigned unit. That is what your orders say." He was begging for a fight.

"With all due respect Sir, I have already been assigned to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne. The only reason I am here, is because I need a ride. I am of the understanding that Lieutenant Colonel Strayer sent you a letter explaining this matter." I was trying so hard not to loose my patience with this man. He had more than likely applied to keep the three new female medics who had just arrived, although god only knew why as he spent all day sneering at the idea of taking female medics along and because someone, somewhere wasn't doing the dam job properly, we got reassigned.

"I don't think I did Lieutenant and I would be very wary whose name you throw around when you try and get what you want. I just guess that the Para boys will have to do with out you." The guy was a joke. He had done it on purpose, just to piss of the Airborne.

Deciding that now was a good time as any to have a little one to one, I stepped closer. There must have been something about my presence as Francis took a step back.

"Trust me when I tell you this Sir, my girls and I will be serving with Easy Company and the 2nd battalion and no matter who you think you have in your back pocket, I can assure you this. I have someone higher and a lot more powerful than you." I took a step back, adjusted my cap and saluted.

"Thank you Sir for clarifying my orders." With that I turned and left, leaving him open mouthed, not giving him a chance to respond. Calling into the post bunk on the way back, I asked for Peter to meet me in my office in twenty minutes and not a second later later.

The girls were frantic. "What happens if" was Jenny's favourite saying, as I tried to write faster than my hand would allow me. Looking at my youngest friend, the fear and anxiety was etched plainly for the world to see. Finishing my letter I took hold of Jennifer's hands.

"Jenny, honey, please look at me." Her eyes full of uncertainty as she looked at me.

"I want you to trust me, that goes for you too Sophia. I will fix this. I promise." Sophia was wary of what I was doing. Sealing the envelope and signing the back of it. I then moved to my desk and unlocked the top drawer. Removing the metal tin I took out a wad of money. Sophia moved around the desk.

"Betty Mae, what the in god's name are you doing?" Her question remained unanswered as Peter arrived on time. Telling him to come in and lock the door, I went to the window and closed the blinds.

"Betty?" Sophia's tone was questioning, but all would be revealed in a few minutes. Saluting the girls and me, I told Peter to stand at ease.

"Peter, I want to ask you a question. I want an honest answer from you. I don't care about regulations or rank, I just want the truth, and it will not go any further than theses four walls." Peter looked slightly nervous, his eyes darting from me, to Sophia, Jenny and to the door.

"Yes Ma'am." He stood there waiting for me. I hated what I was about to do. Ask a solider, a perfectly good solider at that, to disobey rules and regulations that were in place for a reason.

"Peter, tell me what you think of Capt. Francis?" The man frowned. He had understood the question and the criteria of his answer. Relaxing slightly, he looked me square in the eye, he seemed almost happy to share his opinion with someone willing to listen to him.

"I think he's an idiot ma'am and doesn't know his knee from his elbow." Sophia was trying to stifle a laugh, which ended up coming out as a snort, this in turn then put Jenny in fit of giggles, which by all accounts is the worst, as it is infectious. With all of laughing Peter looked at me, trying to contain a smirk himself he wanted to know what was going on.

"Ma'am, whilst I take kindly in being allowed to express my opinion. This was not the real reason why you have called me here is it?" He was a little nervous. There's no way that he could have talked to one of his own officers like that.

"No Peter, you're right. I haven't asked you here solely to find out how you feel about your CO." Handing him the letter, I moved closer.

"Peter, I would not normally ask you to do this, but you are the only soldier here that I can trust. I need you to take this letter and go back to Aldbourne. It needs to be put in the hands of Lt. Colonel Robert Strayer. It does not get opened by anyone other than him. Do you understand me Peter? No one else." Peter was frowning at me.

"Ma'am, I do understand. But why can it not go through the system and why have you sealed it shut? All mail must be…" His mind was turning and in so giving him the answers to his own questions.

"Peter, we," I pointed at the three of us, "are only here for the ride to wherever it is we are going and then, we are off to join the Airborne Divisions that we are assigned to. We have only been reassigned because Francis is on some glory hunt, which he's not going to get. Will you help us Peter?" I was putting so much on this lad. He would have to break two maybe even three large rules, which could see him court-martialled if anything went wrong. Looking down at the letter and then up at me, Peter snapped to attention.

"Ma'am, ladies, it would be my honour to help you get back to your units." Completely out of character and out of line for her rank, Jenny engulfed poor Peter in a hug. Dusting him down, she apologised and when back to her seat. Peter looked very surprised as he had yet to finish what he was saying. "But there maybe one slight problem Ma'am, it will take me at least a day to get there and day to get back, not to mention me finding Colonel Strayer. Will this information expire before I get there?" I knew that Peter wasn't a simple lad, quite the opposite in fact. "No, Peter it won't. I just need the Colonel to read that and I need you to bring back any letters or orders that he gives you." Nodding with understanding, Peter saluted us and turned to leave.

"Peter," I called him back. I had the money in my pocket. If he was going to do this for me, then he would be justly rewarded.

"Peter, how much do you make a month?" I wasn't even sure I was allowed to ask him this, but I wasn't going to send this kid packing without saying Thank you.

"Erm…about $50 a month Ma'am." Clutching the money in my pocket, I knew there was at least a hundred bucks in my hand. Walking towards him, I took hold of his hand.

"I want you to have this. Please don't argue with me. Just take it. Send it home, gamble with it, hell spend it on what you like. Just don't say no, I know I'm asking you to take a huge risk, and I won't let you do it without some recompense." It sounded as though I was almost pleading with him. Looking down, I don't think he had ever seen so much money. Looking round the room, he saluted once more and left.

All we could do was wait. There had been no timings given for when the invasion was happening, but as I had dates running round my head, I knew we only had five days to get things sorted.

There was nothing else that could be done now. Peter had left for wherever the boys were based and we had to pretend to be as engaged with the 4th infantry as possible. Jenny had become quiet and withdrawn more than normal and Sophia had taken to having the odd drink or four at night. I knew they were afraid. Afraid of working with men that they didn't know or trust, afraid that they would never see their friends or parents again and afraid that the promise I had made them might not come true and whilst I wished to God that I could reassure them that everything was going to be okay, I just couldn't prove that it would.

It had been 36 hours, since Peter had left to hand-deliver my letter to Lt. Col. Strayer. We had managed to find cover for the post bunk and it had been conveniently circulated that Peter had been bedded down and that no one under any circumstances was to disturb him. _T__hank god no one wants to argue with the Head Nurse._ The order was still sat on my desk. Its very presence could, at times turn me into a nervous wreck, if I thought long and hard about what it was asking me to do. I kept looking at it as thought it would suddenly sprout legs and can-can its way across my desk. I did not know what I wanted to achieve with sending the letter to the Lt. Col, but I did think that he should know he was loosing man power. As trivial as it sounds, the loss or reassignment of three combat nurses is huge to a Company such as Easy and in the long run it could cost lives. I wouldn't let myself think of the scenario. The very idea of me not being there for my friends because of an arrogant man like Francis made me fume_. Strayer would sort it; he'd have to. They couldn't afford to loose us, not now_.


	15. Chapter 14

**_Another installment for you to enjoy. I will hopefully be uploading some more chapters in the next couple days. Please enjoy and review x_**

As the briefings began, it was mainly only the officers to start with. The divisional Intelligence Officer would brief the commanders and such, who would then brief the junior officers. I was involved in a total of 9 different briefings, all supposedly relevant to what I was meant to be doing when we got to where ever it was we were going.

Most of the enlisted men had some vague idea that it was the other side of the channel that we were heading, it was after all only three miles away from us, but it hadn't been officially announced, therefore any place there was enemy fighting could be 'the place.' Every minute of every hour of the briefings that ticked by shredded my nerves. Every knock at my office door had me jumping for the roof, until that was Sophia told me in no uncertain terms to knock it off and have a drink.

"Sophia Marie Carter, it is 11 o clock in the morning. I am not drinking!" Sophia just shrugged. Plopping herself into the leather armchair opposite me, she unscrewed the lid to her newly acquired hipflask.

"You know who you remind me of!" I knew who she was talking about, but I was determined to not give in and think of them. Ignoring her comment I continued to shuffle papers around my desk, not paying particular attention to the fact that someone was knocking at my door. Yelling for them to enter, the young orderly nurse who, by now was used to my frantic behaviour cowered in the doorway.

"Excuse me Lieutenant Reedman, but there is a Private Colley here to see you. He says that his order is complete and he has a response for you." I couldn't believe it. Looking at Sophia who was scrabbling out of the leather arm chair, I told the young nurse to fetch in Private Colley and to find Lieutenant Green as quickly as possible. "Pull her out of god dam surgery if you have to."

Welcoming Peter into the office, my niceties were as see-through as a window. He knew what I wanted and therefore just handed them over.

"I did as you asked Ma'am. Handed the letter to Colonel Strayer himself, although he was not in the least happy that you had broken protocol by having me hand deliver it but he said, and this is to quote "Betty doesn't give a rats ass, as long as she gets what she wants!" I just laughed. Robert Strayer was the most hardworking, truthful and trustful man I had ever met. Tearing open the letter I sped read it, only to the sink into my chair and then read it a second time more carefully.

"_Lieutenant, _

_The first thing I'm going to do is warn you of the serious one way conversation we are going to have about how you have breached the Secrecy Act by sending your letter through inappropriate channels. Second thing I'm going to do is charge you for paying the private who stands before me with the letter. The third thing I'm going to do is wake Colonel Sink and inform him of Capt. Francis' new idea. Don't worry Elizabeth. You and the girls were only sent to wherever the hell you are because you can't jump and with God as my witness, you __will __be joining us. Just wait until Colonel Sink gets his teeth into Capt. Francis._

_Colonel Robert Strayer _

_Officer Commanding_

_2__nd__ Battalion_

_506__th__ PIR_

_101__st__ Airborne"_

Handing me another letter I tore at the envelope. The sleek penmanship could only be that of Colonel Bob Sink, CO of the 506th. Reading every word in turn as thought I was in the same room with him. I put the letter down on my desk. I sighed. I was worried, apprehensive and scared, but joyous and excited at the same time. Yes I was going to war, yes I was going to have to take two of my best friends to a place that no female our age should go, but we were going to be surrounded by our friends, by people we trust and who in turn, trust us with their lives. Looking over at Sophia who was hungrily reading Strayer's letter and then taking Sink's as though they went hand in hand. I turned to Peter. He looked a little tired and dishevelled. Asking him to sit down I wanted to know every single detail.

"What did he say when opened it? Did he ask you anything?" There were far too many questions for the poor lad to answer and it was all interrupted when Corporal Christian, Capt. Francis' orderly barged in my office past the young nurse who was trying to explain I was in the middle of a meeting.

"What in the name of God are you doing corporal?" The young man just sneered at me. He was the sort that believed if women were in the military they should be clerks, cooks or maids for the senior officers, not nurses who were heading out to the front line.

"I have an urgent message from Capt. Francis Ma'am." I was fuming instantly.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SPEAKING TO CORPORAL? I SUGGEST THAT YOU STAND UP STRAIGHT AND GET YOUR HEELS TO ATTENTION BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK OF ADDRESSING ME AGAIN! LET ALONE HAVING THE AUDACITY TO BARGE INTO _MY_ OFFICE, IN THE MIDDLE OF _MY_ MEETING. NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE. WHEN I WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN, _I _WILL SEND FOR _YOU_! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

The lanky tall brown haired arrogant bastard saluted turned on his heel and marched out of the door. Sophia was staring at me, mouth agog, her eyes like saucers. She had seen me upset and angry before, jokingly arguing with Nixon in the Officer's mess over the last bottle of whiskey, or when the boys weren't paying attention to something that could save their life in the field, but this was a whole new kind of angry.

Shutting the office door, Sophia just broke into a huge grin and handed me her hipflask. Taking a peek at the clock, the second hand had just ticked past twelve. _Sod it; it's past the yarn arm. _Taking a mouthful of whiskey I allowed it to burn the back of my throat. I hadn't enjoyed a drink for a long time always saying to myself I would only drink with my boys. Calming down and taking a seat behind my desk, Sophia fell back into the arm chair, Peter stood out of the way in the corner of the room, I summoned for Cpl Christian to come back in.

He was pissed, not only had I yelled and swore at him, I had also kicked his pretentious ass out of my office without so much as a word from him. Marching to my desk and saluting me, I waited to see what this asshole had to say.

"Lieutenant Reedman, I have been asked to inform you that Capt. Francis requires your presence in his office urgently." He stood there waiting for me to give him an answer and to dismiss him. Waving my hand, I didn't even give the brown nosing little bastard the satisfaction of an answer that he could eagerly relay his CO. Sophia, just looked at me.

"Peter, what crawled into your panties?" Peter looked incredibly embarrassed. His cheeks were matching the redness of the tops of his ears, his eyes darting all over the place, not knowing where to look, weight shifting from one foot to the other.

"Peter what's wrong? Please forgive Lt. Carter, she does forget herself sometimes." Mumbling something that almost sounded like an apology, he shuffled towards the desk.

"I'm sorry ma'am." I didn't understand what the boy was going on about.

"Sorry for what Peter?" Packing enough cigarettes into my metal tin and taking a pen and note book, I looked up at him.

"Peter, for heaven's sake boy…spit it out." He just played with the hem of his jacket.

"Before I came you to see you Ma'am, I had a letter to drop off to Capt. Francis…from Colonel Sink, Ma'am. I left there rather rapidly…well…because Capt. Francis was shouting a lot and they were not clean words Ma'am." Instead of being worried the only thing I could do was laugh. I laughed so much I had tears rolling down my face! Putting a hand out to Peter I tried to compose myself.

"Peter, dear lad, do not be embarrassed or sorry that you delivered that letter. It was the best thing that you could have done in this whole war, short of taking Hitler out yourself! No, you head back to your barracks, wash, shave and stay there, anyone asks you why you are not at work, you tell them that I have sent you to bed with a bad cold and the possible symptoms of…..meningitis…nasty infection that needs at least a week in bed!" Saluting Peter headed back to the enlisted accommodation. _Thank god I can remember some things from back then or is it forward then…my head hurts when I try and think about it. Let's go and bug Capt. Francis! I haven't any fun today and I'm in the mood for a little Francis bashing! _


	16. Chapter 15

_**I must say how sorry I am for leaving you all in limbo land. I have had a lot on my plate so to speak and the fact that my muse had left me for a little while, I just didn't know how i was going to continue with it all. However, Christmas has been and Santa brought me Betty back. So please enjoy xxx **_

As the briefings began, it was mainly only the officers to start with. The divisional Intelligence Officer would brief the commanders and such, who would then brief the junior officers. I was involved in a total of 9 different briefings, all supposedly relevant to what I was meant to be doing when we got to where ever it was we were going. Most of the enlisted men had some vague idea that it was the other side of the channel that we were heading, it was after all only three miles away from us, but it hadn't been officially announced, therefore any place there was enemy fighting could be 'the place.' Every minute that ticked by shredded my nerves. Every knock at my office door had me jumping for the roof, until that was Sophia told me in no uncertain terms to knock it off and have a drink.

"Sophia Marie Carter, it is 11 o'clock in the morning. I am not drinking!" Sophia just shrugged. Plopping herself into the leather armchair opposite me, she unscrewed the lid to her newly acquired hipflask.

"You know who you remind me of!" I knew who she was talking about, but I was determined to not give in and think of them. Ignoring her comment I continued to shuffle papers around my desk, not paying particular attention to the fact that someone was knocking at my door. Yelling for them to enter, the young orderly nurse who, by now was used to my frantic behaviour cowered in the doorway.

"Excuse me Lieutenant Reedman, but there is a Private Colley here to see you. He says that his order is complete and he has a response for you." I couldn't believe it. Looking at Sophia who was scrabbling out of the leather arm chair, I told the young nurse to fetch in Private Colley and to find Lieutenant Green as quickly as possible. "Pull her out of god dam surgery if you have to."

Welcoming Peter into the office, my niceties were as see-through as a window. He knew what I wanted and therefore just handed them over.

"I did as you asked Ma'am. Handed the letter to Colonel Strayer himself, although he was not in the least happy that you had broken protocol by having me hand deliver it but he said, and this is to quote "Betty doesn't give a rats ass, as long as she gets what she wants!" I just laughed. Robert Strayer was the most hardworking, truthful and trustful man I had ever met. Tearing open the letter I sped read it, only to the sink into my chair and then read it a second time more carefully.

"_Lieutenant, _

_The first thing I'm going to do is warn you of the serious one way conversation we are going to have about how you have breached the Secrecy Act by sending your letter through inappropriate channels. Second thing I'm going to do is charge you for paying the private who stands before me with the letter. The third thing I'm going to do is wake Colonel Sink and inform him of Capt. Francis' new idea. Don't worry Elizabeth. You and the girls will be joining us. Just wait until Colonel Sink gets his teeth into Capt. Francis._

_Colonel Robert Strayer _

_Officer Commanding_

_2nd Battalion_

_506th PIR_

_101st Airborne"_

Handing me another letter I tore at the envelope. The sleek penmanship could only be that of Colonel Bob Sink, CO of the 506th. Reading every word in turn as thought I was in the same room with him. I put the letter down on my desk. I sighed. I was worried, apprehensive and scared, but joyous and excited at the same time. Yes I was going to war, yes I was going to have to take two of my best friends to a place that no female our age should go, but we were going to be surrounded by our friends, by people we trust and who in turn, trust us with their lives. Looking over at Sophia who was hungrily reading Strayer's letter and then taking Sink's as though they went hand in hand. I turned to Peter. He looked a little tired and dishevelled. Asking him to sit down I wanted to know every single detail.

"What did he say when opened it? Did he ask you anything?" There were far too many questions for the poor lad to answer and it was all interrupted when Corporal Christian, Capt. Francis' orderly barged in my office past the young nurse who was trying to explain I was in the middle of a meeting.

"What in the name of God are you doing Corporal?" The young man just sneered at me. He was the sort that believed if women were in the military they should be clerks, cooks or maids for the senior officers, not nurses who were heading out to the front line.

"I have an urgent message from Capt. Francis Ma'am." I was fuming instantly.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SPEAKING TO CORPORAL? I SUGGEST THAT YOU STAND UP STRAIGHT AND GET YOUR HEELS TO ATTENTION BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK OF ADDRESSING ME AGAIN! LET ALONE HAVING THE AUDACITY TO BARGE INTO _MY_ OFFICE, IN THE MIDDLE OF _MY_ MEETING. NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE. WHEN I WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN, _I _WILL SEND FOR _YOU_! NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" The lanky tall brown haired arrogant bastard saluted turned on his heel and marched out of the door. Sophia was staring at me, mouth agog, her eyes like saucers. She had seen me upset and angry before, jokingly arguing with Nixon in the Officer's mess over the last bottle of whiskey, or when the boys weren't paying attention to something that could save their life in the field, but this was a whole new kind of angry. Shutting the office door, Sophia just broke into a huge grin and handed me her hipflask. Taking a peek at the clock, the second hand had just ticked past quarter past the hour. _Sod it; it's past the yarn arm somewhere in the world. _Taking a mouthful of whiskey I allowed it to burn the back of my throat. I hadn't enjoyed a drink for a long time always saying to myself I would only drink with my boys. Calming down and taking a seat behind my desk, Sophia fell back into the arm chair, Peter stood out of the way in the corner of the room, I summoned for Corporal Christian to come back in.

He was pissed, not only had I yelled and swore at him, I had also kicked his pretentious ass out of my office without so much as a word from him. Marching to my desk and saluting me, I waited to see what this asshole had to say.

"Lieutenant Reedman, I have been asked to inform you that Capt. Francis requires your presence in his office urgently." He stood there waiting for me to give him an answer and to dismiss him. Waving my hand, I didn't even give the brown nosing little bastard the satisfaction of an answer that he could eagerly relay his CO. Sophia, just looked at me.

"Peter, what crawled into your panties?" Peter looked incredibly embarrassed. His cheeks were matching the redness of the tops of his ears, his eyes darting all over the place, not knowing where to look, weight shifting from one foot to the other.

"Peter what's wrong? Please forgive Lt. Carter, she does forget herself sometimes." Mumbling something that almost sounded like an apology, he shuffled towards the desk.

"I'm sorry ma'am." I didn't understand what the boy was going on about.

"Sorry for what Peter?" Packing enough cigarettes into my metal tin and taking a pen and note book, I looked up at him.

"Peter, for heaven's sake boy…spit it out." He just played with the hem of his jacket.

"Before I came you to see you Ma'am, I had a letter to drop off to Capt. Francis…from Colonel Sink, Ma'am. I left there rather rapidly…well…because Capt. Francis was shouting a lot and they were not clean words Ma'am." Instead of being worried the only thing I could do was laugh. I laughed so much I had tears rolling down my face! Putting a hand out to Peter I tried to compose myself.

"Peter, dear lad, do not be embarrassed or sorry that you delivered that letter. It was the best thing that you could have done in this whole war, short of taking Hitler out yourself! No, you head back to your barracks, wash, shave and stay there, anyone asks you why you are not at work, you tell them that I have sent you to bed with a bad cold and the possible symptoms of…..meningitis…nasty infection that needs at least a week in bed!" Saluting Peter headed back to the enlisted accommodation. _Thank god I can remember some things from back then or is it forward then…my head hurts when I try and think about it. Let's go and bug Capt. Francis! I haven't any fun today and I'm in the mood for a little Francis bashing! _


	17. Chapter 16

As Sophia and I were heading over Capt. Francis' office, Jenny came running down the corridor trying to keep her cap on her head and her skirt from flapping around.

"I've just been told that you wanted to see me. Your orderly said that you had gotten some mail from the post boy….I can only assume that Peter is back. Oh tell me we're going back to 2nd Battalion Betty. Please!" I calmed Jenny's fears, but that the same time trying to calm my own. I can only hope that Colonel Sink has once again gone over his responsibilities as a CO to help 'us' girls out again. Informing Capt. Francis' orderly that we had arrived, we were shown into his office.

We marched in and saluted him whilst he waited for the operator to connect him. The good Capt. had a letter sat on his desk. It was evidently clear who had sent it as the boldness of the 'screaming eagle' shone from the page. The penmanship giving clear letters of instruction to the good Capt. "I don't know what the hell you're playing at Lieutenant. But by God I will have your bar for this!" His face had gone a satisfying colour of deep red; furious wasn't even the word for it. He obviously didn't like what Colonel Sink had put in his letter. Capt. Francis continued his rant whist trying to be connected, glancing down every few seconds or so at the letter which was the main focus of his dissatisfaction.

"I don't know who this guy thinks he is, but I am CO of this regiment and I will not be bossed around by some fly boy who thinks he is better than everyone else, just because he can jump." I was seething. Sophia's emotionless face had twisted and contorted in one of pure distaste. I just stared at him, boring my eyes into him. He could sense our upset. Leaning back into his chair; a smug sly grin spread across the man's face. It was as though he was happy get a reaction out of us.

"Anything to say Lieutenant? I just don't see you as the quite type." I had had just about enough of this annoying arrogant jumped up bastard.

"Permission to speak sir?" I had to be careful; I didn't want to land myself into too much trouble, especially as I didn't know what Colonel Sink had said in his letter.

"Granted Lieutenant. Tell me what is on your mind." YOU ASKED FOR IT SONNY JIM

"I don't know how long you have been an officer for sir, and frankly I couldn't give a rat's ass. What I will say is, if you ever insult, slander or in any other way demean the men of The Parachute. Infantry. Regiment. With God as my witness I will cause you so much trouble you will have to bring in the President himself to sort me out. Them 'Fly Boys' as you called them, can run rings around the lowlife uneducated morons you have working here! The men of the PIR have more skill, wit and determination to complete a mission than any other group of men I have ever known. You can get an infantry moron for ten a penny. Do you know how many men wanted to be paratroopers? There were over five thousand men when they started their training back home in 42, they left to go to England with eighteen hundred, and guess where the rejects ended up? The Infantry Regiments just like those that you are trying to make us work for. What does that tell you? You narrow minded, arrogant straight legged pin head! The PIR is the best regiment in the entire US Army and the only reason you decided to slag off one of OUR most respected officer's is, he has more than likely told you to release us from this bogus re-assignment you fixed us up with. _Colonel_ Robert Sink is more of a military man, _Captain_ Francis than you could ever aspire to be." I stopped. The operator was shouting down the phone at him, the connection had been made to Colonel Sink. "I think Sir, Colonel Sink is ready to take your call." Capt. Francis was then introduced to Colonel Bob Sink and his famous one way conversations. There were a lot of "yes sir", "I understand sir…but" and yet he never managed to get any word past 'but'. It was evidently clear that the Colonel was not happy about the Captain flexing his muscles and trying to reassign us. I watched as Francis sank lower and lower into his seat. The loud and commanding voice of the Colonel ordering him to get the assignments changed for 'his medics' was music to our ears. With a sudden silence Francis handed me the phone. I didn't know what to expect as I had no idea what was in the letter sat in front of me.

"Lieutenant Reedman Sir." I could hear chattering going on in the background.

"Betty, Colonel Sink. Now I told that straight legged knuckle head to sort out the re-assignments. Do you still have the envelope that I told you not to open, until I had spoken to you?" I could feel the letter in the inside pocket of my jacket.

"Yes sir I do." The Colonel, by the sounds of it was trying to multitask and wasn't getting anywhere with it, as his orderly could be heard whispering the background, "no sir, this line and the last page."

"Lieutenant, I hereby give you permission to open that envelope. In there are your new assignments within the 506th. We had a few accidents a couple of weeks ago and there has been some juggling going on amongst the medics. We'll be seeing you after the big jump Lieutenant. Good Luck now and God bless."

"Thank you sir, and you too sir and from the three of us here sir, Currahee!"

"Currahee Lieutenant." After a second or two the operator cut in asking me if there was anyone else that I wanted to call. Handing the phone back to Captain Francis, I opened our orders.

"Lieutenant Elizabeth Mae Reedman, Combat Nurse, U.S Army Medical Corps – You are hereby assigned to Company E of 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. You are to liaise with your Commanding Officer and or XO for briefings for when and were to join your company." I could feel the burn in my cheeks from where I was smiling too much. Handing out the other two pieces of paper, Jenny and Sophia were just as happy. We had all been re-reassigned back to 506th, Sophia and I were going back to 2nd Battalion to Easy and Dog companies respectively, but Jenny was as being sent to 1st Battalion. Whilst I was thankful that the Colonel had re-assigned us back to the regiment, he had made it clear that there had been a shuffle about and to keep us all in the same battalion would have looked like favouritism. So Jenny had been assigned to Able Company, 1st Battalion, under direction of Captain Melvin Davis. Whilst I could see that it hurt her to be taken from her boys at Fox, she was happy that she was going back to the 506th. Amongst our excitement of opening our order, I think we had forgotten for a second where we were. Turning to Captain Francis, who by now was an even deeper shade of red, we snapped to attention. It was clear he wasn't happy that his plan hadn't worked and that we were going home.

"I need not remind you Lieutenants, that whilst you are here, you are under my command and you will follow my orders. Is that understood?" There was nothing else that we could say. Replying as one, we all saluted and then left. I didn't want to be around when Francis exploded although it would have been a particularly interesting sight.


	18. Chapter 17

_**Well hello people *chorus of hello Tabitha*. I hope you lovely people are doing okay in what ever part of the world you in. Just a couple of little things i want to tell you before I let you read the next chapter...**_

_**Since posting the new chapter yesterday...i had 98 new visitors to my story! THANKYOU SO MUCH! However...there is a part of me that is sad *Why?* i hear you cry...well...not one person has left me a review! :( I need to know what you are thinking! i want to know if you are excited about it what might happen to Betty and the girls. What do you hope to happen or are you not sure...not flames please people! You're reviews are what make me want to keep writing. If i know what you are enjoying what i am putting up on here then i will keep going if not then who knows what might happen to Betty!**_

_**Second is a shout to a few people who have added In Two Minds to their favourites list, some of them it has been from the very beginning, some have added it further on down the line: Azrael's Darkest Secrets, EmmyMK, Forevr-without-love, ForFriendsForLove, Meritxu, Ruthie-r89, SusyQ Yayyou and the new girlie...Emmiline-Zahara-Rose. Thankyou very much xxxx**_

_**Thankyou all for your attention...please enjoy xxxx**_

Arriving back in the sanctity of my office; the three of us could no longer contain our excitement. We were going back to our boys. Sophia sat down and took out her flask, whilst it wasn't a new sight, the idea of her pausing and contemplating about having a drink was. Turning to me, she handed over her flask.

"I don't want this anymore. If I'm going back to the boys, I don't want this." I didn't really know what to say. Both Jenny and I had expressed concern at the amount she was drinking, but neither of us had said anything about her giving up.

It had to be up to Sophia. Taking her flask, I placed it in the top draw of my desk. She knew where it was and where I kept the keys. I was not going to stop her if she wanted it back, but for the time being she was going straight. Jenny was a little quiet and saddened that she wasn't going back to Fox Company, but all the same happy she was back in the 506. I too was over the moon at heading back to Easy. Not just because of Joey or Billy, but because I knew I would be safe.

"You know I gotta start all over again? I gotta make friends all over again. It was dam hard enough to crack the Fox guys! I don't know anything about these Dog guys or even what their CO is like. I mean seriously what happens if he doesn't like me? What then?" Sophia was ranting and would speak so fast when she was nervous.

"Sophia, you can make friends anywhere. I really would not worry about you being on your own. Besides there will be lots of new boys for you be friendly with!" I had to make a dig. Sophia was a floozy, but she did change her crush of the week almost every day, which just made her that much more interesting to be around.

The days following the fiasco with Capt. Francis was that of gossip. The news of our 'disagreement' had travelled almost the entire camp. Some of the junior officers insisted on asking me to repeat what I had said to Francis and how I had 'kicked out' Corporal Christian, which Sophia was all too happy to re-enact for me until I told her that spreading gossip was not the behaviour of an Officer.

I had gone back to my duties of Head Nurse, which to my distaste had somehow managed to breed more forms and files for me to look at in the hours I had been away. Nothing else had been said about our conversation or that of the CO's with Col Sink. The 4th Infantry head-quarters had been informed that we would not be serving with them when we landed.

All the officers had been warned off that morning at breakfast by the Regimental Sergeant Major, Mr Hammond. He was a polite man, had a lot of time for his boys and us for that fact. For saying he was living in the forties he had a very modern way of thinking about females in the military. "If they want to fight alongside us to defeat a common enemy, then I will welcome them into my unit. As long as they can do their job and not whine and moan that they can't paint their nails or that their stocking have got holes in!" The warning order had been for the briefings that were being conducted. The content of them wasn't hard work out.

The regimental cinema had been closed for the last couple of days, with privates walking in and out with boards covered with black drapes. It was the mission plan. The place was a buzz with apprehension. The enlisted men still had bets going as to when and where they were heading. Some of the countries were a bit too far flung, but France was still odds on favourite.

I had decided that whilst I detested paperwork with the same passion that I detested Hitler, I would have to swallow the bitter pill and get on with it. I couldn't leave to head off to war with an in tray that resembled the Empire State Building! Reading through the medical reasons for discharge and either passing them on to the MO or signing them myself, I felt sad at the thought that some of the young and eager men around me would have to leave their friends behind and head home because of something that should have been spotted before they headed over here. It was a welcomed interruption when Sophia and Jenny came to get me for the briefing. It was one of those briefings where you were not allowed to write things down.

Taking our seats the room was buzzing as though someone had plugged it into the mains. We joined the junior officers at the back of the room, nodding and smiling at the guys we had come to know. "Hey Betty, you know what this is all about?" I just shrugged. I had some idea what it was about, but nothing that would be useful.

"Ten-hut." As the command rang out, the room moved as one. The Commanding officer of 4th Infantry Colonel Douglass and Captain Francis, CO of 6th Medical Division walked to the front of the room.

"Gentlemen and Ladies," the Colonel's mere presence commanded everyone's attention. He was a fair man and had been nice enough to me and the girls. "What you are about to hear is classified to Secret. You are not to make notes, but afterwards, you can have all the time to study the maps and sand tables. This is it people. We are about to face an enemy that doesn't not care what you think, believe in or feel like. He does not care if you have a wife and child at home. All he wants is to carry out the wishes of a mad man and dominate Europe. Gentleman, that can not and will not happen. I will pass you over to the Regimental S2, Captain Waterfield. Good Luck and God Bless." Someone shouted for us to come to attention.

The senior officers would have already had their briefs, although Captain Francis decided to linger on behind. Captain Robert Waterfield took to the podium. He was known throughout the officers as someone one who was thorough in everything that he did and whilst no one liked briefings that dragged, I had a feeling that no one would mind on this occasion.

"Gentleman, Ladies. Just reiterate what the Colonel said, no notes will be taken. I will leave the sand tables and the maps up so you can get a good mental picture of what you are meant to do. Lieutenants Carter, Green and Reedman?" We raised our hands. I hadn't had any dealings with Captain Waterfield before.

"Sir?" I stood up. I felt as though I was the naughty kid caught talking through the sermon at school.

"Lieutenant, I need to see you and the other Lieutenants after this. I understand you will require a second brief." I nodded. Sophia and Jenny had smiles beaming across their faces. The fact that our brief had been mentioned made it that little more real to them that we were going back to our battalion.

"Right Gentleman, the place where all this fun and games is taking place…" he flipped the black canvas. The hoots and the shouts from those that had France as their bet simmered as the Captain went into this his brief.

The briefing was long and in some places hard to follow, especially when it came to other units missions. It was standard briefing practise to inform all officers of the mission of the surrounding units. Whilst there was nothing specific to the medics, just having an idea of what was expected to happen was good enough. The briefing was not as long as expected, although sitting in the same seat for two hours did have a tendency of making you bum go numb. As the brief came to a wrap, Captain Francis took to the podium. Whilst he was a CO, he would have nothing to do with the infantry mission.

"Gentleman, I have here the listings for what deployment vessel you will be on and when. Most of you will be on either the first or second wave, leaving here the day before D-Day, however, as there are medics in the audience, I will inform those who are not infantry. Second Lieutenants McGarty, Firth Hopkins, Richmond, McGinty, Reedman, Carter, Green and Gellar will all be in the last wave to leave here. For those who have not seen the deployment listings, the last wave deploys on D-Day plus 6."

I was clenching my fists and grinding my teeth. If Billy had been around he would have asked me if I wanted a carrot "cos only rabbits grind their teeth!" Once again, this man had found away to flex his muscles and this time there was nothing I could do about it. Whilst Colonel Sink could have my orders rewritten and give the Captain a chewing out, there was nothing he could do about deployment timings. This I would have to rectify on my own.

The briefing from Captain Waterfield was the same that the 506th would receive. Information on what the individual companies would do and what their objectives are. We were told that we would meet up with them at the rendezvous point for the Battalion. Whilst I was excited to see the boys, I was equally nervous about the timings that we had been given. The briefing ended with Captain Waterfield showing us a different set of maps of the area south of the beaches.

"Lieutenant Reedman, may I have a quick word with you?" I left the girls studying the maps and the aerial photographs.

"Lieutenant, I understand that you have been placed on the last ship deployment out of here?" The very mention of it made me mad.

"Yes sir, I have. I only assume that someone is being too cautious with our safety." Whilst I had stronger thoughts on the subject, I did not know the company I was in and his feelings on Francis.

"Whilst that is possibly the case, the fact that your Battalion lands in France the day before D-Day is not conducive to your orders. Is your CO aware of this?"

"Yes Sir, I believe he is and yet there is nothing that I can do about it. If those are his orders, then I can only obey them." Handing me a piece of paper, he clasped my hand in his before I could open it.

"I know that you want to do well and serve with your regiment again. I would have liked to have joined the airborne, but the doctors said no because of my ears. I respect the airborne and what they are prepared to do for our country. If I can help Lieutenant, all you need do is ask." He shook my hand. The conversation, however cryptic it was, was over. I saluted and he returned the compliment.

There was something about Captain Waterfield that I like. He was one to follow the rules, as long as the rules were appropriate and used to keep the order. As he headed out the cinema, I opened the note. It had nothing on it but a time and a dock number. "Dock 5, 0530". I had no idea what it meant or why he had even given it to me. Putting the note in my pocket, I joined the girls at the sand tables and the maps. Whilst we would not be pulling the triggers we needed to know what would be going on.

_**So what do you think? **_


	19. Chapter 18

_**Here is another chapter for you enjoyment...remember if you like it...the pleeeeease tell me. It's really quite simple, you just hit the review button at the bottom of the page. Shout outs are on offer to anyone who replies! **_

_**Please enjoy xx**_

Heading back to our billet, I chose to stay outside before heading to bed. The moon had become a silent companion whilst I had been here. I would know that if I saw her, then so did all those I left behind and whilst we were not in the same camp or in the same country, we could always look up and see her. I had no idea what to do about Francis and his new show of power.

If I went in there shouting the odds, he would have me arrested, charged and possibly remanded in England. It would then leave Sophia and Jenny to fend for themselves. But if I kept my mouth shut, I would stay in England whilst the regiment fought and attacked the enemy without their medic.

It was inevitable that men would die, but without that extra hand, more would die and I could not let that happen. Looking down at the piece of paper, I knew this was our escape. It would be our way over to France. Raising my head to the moon, I silently prayed that I would see her again after I had be reunited with all those that I left behind.

The days that followed the briefings were hectic. People were hurrying around getting the ships loaded up with every piece of equipment they could think of. The soldiers were constantly making sure that they had everything packed. Aside from my duties as Head Nurse and tending to a few soldiers who had managed to still get the odd minor injury, I also had an inventory to do of all the medical supplies and surplus that was held by the Division. It would have been easier to only kit out the company medics. But when people, mainly the senior NCO's and Officers, didn't read memos for timings, things could get quite tense.

"Sergeant, has your medic been issued with his supplies?" I asked from the top of the ladder. The stocky Gunnery sergeant looking up at me, "Yes M'am, he has." I knew what he was after, and whilst I wished I could just had over enough bandages and morphine to save every man in the Division, I had to ensure there would be enough for the aid stations. "And have you not been issued with your own personal medical supply?" He could see that he was not going to win. "Yes Ma'am, I have."

Climbing down from the ladder I looked at him. He reminded me of my older brother Gabriel. He was built like an outhouse. Strong arms and yet he had kind eyes. "Sergeant, if I gave every Company Sergeant more medical supplies to help his men, what would I sent to the aid station for those who were seriously wounded?" I was not in the habit of making them feel guilty for wanting more supplies, but it was the question I asked everyone that came asking for more. "I understand Ma'am. I am sorry to have bothered you."

After a little lunch and some more dreaded paperwork and with the help of some of the junior medics, I managed to get the last of the supplies loaded and sent off down to the dockyard. Taking a seat on one of the boxes, I finished the dregs of my tea. I had had a headache all day and my eyes were tired from all the lists I had to read.

Rubbing my temples the pain in my head started to subside, only for it to comeback. Instead of the dull pain that moved in waves through my head, it was sharp and piercing, as though someone was shoving a needle right through my temples. Falling to my knees, I could see pictures, images as I had done back in Aldbourne.

They were of men on the beaches begging for God and their mothers to save them. I saw images of the men I knew with missing limbs. I screamed as they burned themselves into my head. I could feel a hand on my shoulder and a faint whisper in my ear. "_Trust in what you see, trust in what you remember, and trust in what you know." _

The pain left as quick as it had arrived. I opened my eyes; thankfully no one had heard me scream or could see the tears that streaked my face. I was able to compose myself without any explanation. The images so fresh in my mind, gave me the conviction that I had been looking for. I knew what had to be done and I had very little time to do it in.

Looking around me, I had everything that I would need. Everything that I could ever need to save a man's life was here in this room. As I began to pack the required amounts of everything in a rucksack and shoulder bag I paused. Shouting for my orderly, I quickly scribbled notes to Sophia and Jenny and sealed them. Handing them over I instructed her to take them and then bring back any replies and inform my two friends that they were to not show the letters to anyone. Saluting she left.

Pacing the storeroom I was nervous and excited. Collecting the bags I had packed I called down to the duties room and called for a driver. Handing him the bags, I issued my instructions. Arriving at the billet Sophia and Jenny were waiting for me. They were confused at my instructions.

"Betty! What the hell is going on? I mean I was prepping to go into theatre! Some poor kid broke his leg!" Sophia was worried.

"Betty? What is going on?" Jenny was equally concerned. I handed each of the girls a rucksack and a shoulder bag. Sophia looked at the bag and then at me.

"Betty? You wanna start explaining right about now?" I began to pace the billet. I couldn't get the idea out of my head. "I am not going to sit here and wait for the last dam ship while my friends, our friends, are out there being shot at and will die bleeding to death because there are not enough medics. If there is a chance we can get aboard an earlier ship, then I am going to try." I could see the clogs working in Sophia's head.

"If we get on board an earlier ship, we would be charged with going AWOL Betty. I mean that would really annoy Francis for starters."

"Sophia, I couldn't give a rat's ass if he tries to shoot me. I didn't join the Army to sit behind a desk and wait for all the danger to pass me by. I won't ask you to come with me because I will not ask you to participate in a chargeable offence. But your bags are there if you want to come. I'm leaving tomorrow morning…" It then hit me. The note that Captain Waterfield has given me, was our way of this. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning, 0530hrs."

Jenny was silent. She had not said a thing since I had started to rant. Looking at the rucksacks, she picked one up and put it on her back. Walking around in it, she moved over to her bed. Taking out her spare OD and her t-shirts, she emptied her rucksack tucking her clothes at the bottom. Methodically repacking her supplies so that she knew where things where. Walking back over, she just looked at me.

"I ain't staying here one more day than I need too. I don't like Francis and I really don't like the Surgeon General. He is a nasty man and I would quite like to chop off his hands!" Jenny had only expressed her feelings about people once when Billy and I had been arguing, but she had never said that she would want to hurt anyone. Sophia almost choked on her cigarette.

"Well I can't let you two go off gallivanting around France and leave me here to deal with Francis on my own. I would end up admitting him to the hospital with a clear case of 'pain in the ass' syndrome!" Grabbing the second set of bags, Sophia too started to organise her belongings. Clipping her St. Christopher around her neck, Jenny finally twigged on what I had said.

"Betty, we can't leave tomorrow morning. Tomorrow is the main wave! We'll never get on board the ships!" Her voice raised an octave every time she thought of something that could go wrong with my plan.

"Don't worry Jenny, everything is in order. I have friends in places that will allow us to be on the beach not long after the third wave. We will be in St. Marie Du Mont with the boys by tomorrow morning." Even as I said it out loud, the very idea of what the three of us would have to go through to get there was unbearable to think about. I _knew_ what we would have to go through, or at least I had seen what we would have to survive. But the sights and sounds? Actually being there and dealing with all the death that we would have to encounter, it didn't bear thinking about. I was jealous of their ignorance. The horrors of what the men and our lads would have to see and endure were already burnt into my brain and it was something I was not thankful for. Silence had over taken us, until a knock at the door brought us out of the solitude of our own minds.

_**Go on you know you want to tell me what you think! **_


	20. Chapter 19

_**Helloo my lovelies! Just a little tiny chapter for you at the moment, just to wet the palet a little and see if you want any more! Big thanks to Amy for you review...the only one i have received recently..but no the less big shout out to you. To everyone one else...pleeeeeease review..i need to know that i am doing okay and you all want me to continue. **_

_**Please enjoy x**_

Opening the door, I was greeted with the bright smile of Cpl Morgan, RSM Hammond's orderly.

"What can I do for you Cpl?" The young lad saluted and handed me a note.

"For you Ma'am with the RSM's compliments**."** He waited as I ripped open the envelope. Reading the note in detail, I could have jumped for joy.

"_Betty, Heard what Francis has planned for you and your girls, the note from the Captain comes into effect. God Bless. Jason." _ I couldn't believe it. Looking at the Corporal, who had no idea what was going on, I just beamed at him.

"Corporal Morgan, where is the RSM now?" He pulled out a small battered notebook and scanned the days' page.

"He should be in his office Ma'am. He had a briefing with Captain Waterfield this morning and he's not due in with the CO until this afternoon." This just couldn't have gotten any better! Calling to the girls that I would not be gone long, I grabbed my cap and ran down to the HQ offices. Heading down the maze I pulled up outside the office of C Company RSM, Mr Hammond. Knocking twice on the door frame, Jason looked up from his paper work. Whilst Francis had been on his power trip with trying to dispute our deployment, Jason had been working secretly against him and in our favour. "You don't know what a God send you are!" He just smiled.

"I take it that it will help? I heard that Francis had a chewing from your Colonel. Wish I had been there to hear that one!" I slid into the nearest chair.

"You do realise that you're helping me to commit a chargeable offence one of which goes against a high ranking officer than the pair of us?" He just shrugged. We had become good friends almost the moment we had met. Jason reminded me of Matthew. Kind eyes with an infectious smile, if you were lucky enough to see it. Even though he had been in the army a good many years longer than me, we just got on.

"Between you and me, and I really shouldn't be saying this, I don't give a rat's ass! The bloke's chicken shit. He's a medic for a crying out loud. I mean he has no say what so ever in who goes where. He just makes the recommendations. Besides the bloke's a tosser!" We both burst out laughing. Standing to leave, I extended my hand to Jason. Hugging would not have been appropriate, no matter how close a friend we were. Thanking him again for the lengths that he had gone to, to help me and the girls out, it was the least I could do.

"Thank so much Jason. I wish you and your boys the very best of luck and I pray that we meet again after this is all over." Heading back to the billet, it gave me the time and the silence to think about everything that had happened over the last two and half years. One minute I'm at home with my parents and brothers, the next I'm preparing to go AWOL to fight in a war, which would change the outcome of the world. Whilst I still remembered parts of the 'modern' me, the memories becoming ever more distant everyday as though they had been dreams.

I remember Joey and how we had parted so suddenly and while it had always been expected and in the backs of our minds, when it had actually happened neither of us had been prepared for it. I stopped at the billet door. As the last few drags of my cigarette smouldered between my fingers, I remember how I had found and then lost my best friend. It had been so painful on both accounts, but the fact that I knew I would see them all again made it better. Looking up at the skies I could only hope that the boys, my parents and brothers were safe and healthy, and if God had plan for me I prayed it didn't involve leaving those that I loved behind.


	21. Chapter 20

**Hello my lovely readers...and how are we on this lovely Monday afternoon? I hope you all are enjoying yourself in whatever it is you are doing! I thought it was high time for me to upload a new chapter...albeit this one is only a wee one! Thank you to those of you who have added 'In Two Minds' to you watch lists! **

**Its time now for Betty and the Girls to get going! This chapter is the start of their adventures! **

**Please enjoy and remember...i need your thoughts about how you think im doing..its really simple to let me know...there's a box called Review...just give it a click! :)**

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, but you're not on the manifest, I can't let you on board." The Sergeant had been trying to explain his side of the argument for the last ten minutes and while I was normally I was patient person, this morning, it was wearing thin.

"Sergeant, listen to me and listen to good an' hard. I ain't leaving this dock on two feet. I need to get on board that boat and I need to be doing it right about now. There are men on the other side of that channel that will need my help Sergeant and you're stopping me from getting to them! Now if you would like me to fetch RSM Hammond then I will do so. But be warned Sergeant, we will be boarding this boat." The man just stared at me. I wasn't known for giving people a dressing down, but when they ticked me off I made sure they knew about it.

"Now, would you like me to go and find the RSM?" I left the question hanging in the air. Checking his manifest list and his watch, his resolve was wavering. "Ma'am, you could get me charged!" I just smiled and patted the guy on the shoulder. Looking around him and making sure there was no else about to see us board, the sergeant moved aside.

"Don't worry about it; we could be charged for going AWOL! But somehow I don't think they are going take it all the way to court marital, as we're running towards the fight and not away from it. Thank you sergeant." I boarded the ship with Jenny and Sophia following on silently. I hadn't been on board a ship since I had left New York after I had recovered from my wounds sustained in Africa. Neither of them had said a word since we had gotten up and packed the few essentials that we wanted to take.

We had prayed together before leaving and with the help of Peter and a few others we had managed to get down to the docks with no fuss. We made our way to Officers mess, figuring we would just blend in with the crowd. Spotting an empty table, we slid behind and waited for the ship to set sail. Sophia started chain smoking, she had not touched a drop of liquor since the day she had handed me her hipflask. Jenny was silently writing letters to her family, she had grown up a lot since we had arrived in England. We had come to rely on one another so much, that it scared me to think we could be parted when we would need each other the most.

With the manifest completed and the gangways withdrawn, we felt the engines kick into gear and the ship begin to shake as we moved away from the harbour. Leaving the girls to do as they wished, I headed out on to the upper deck, looking out on to the shore line I could see nothing but men, ships, vehicles and supplies waiting to move out.

As I looked to the sky I smiled through the tears that I'd promised myself I wouldn't shed. The boys would be in France by now; I had not heard anything from Joey or Lewis for over a week, which was to be expected.

The last letters I had received had mentioned that they had been 'fenced in' and that their 'day of days' was fast approaching. I was scared, scared for me and scared for the girls, scared for the men. '_Petrified' might be a better way of describing it._ But I had to look out for Sophia and Jenny and showing that fear was unacceptable. They needed someone to be strong for them, but when it came to me needing to fall to pieces I only had the solitude of the waves.

They said that it could take anything up to six hours for us to get to France. I didn't know whether I could last that long. I didn't want to turn to tail and run for the nearest hidey hole, I wanted to be with my boys. But with the images I had running through in my mind, reminding me what I was heading for, could anyone blame me if I was scared?

Looking back up at the skies, the midnight blue was fading to a burnt orange as the sun tried to give light to the horrors of what would become the most researched and studied day in history. The weather was clear, with not a cloud in sight, so the boys should have had a good run down from wherever they had been. Taking out my matches, my hands shook too much for me to light my cigarette. Throwing the matches overboard, I looked down and watched the waves as they smashed against the side of the ship. I reminded myself, that I was doing what I had wanted; this was the chance for me to prove what I was worth.

I headed back down below deck, Sophia and Jenny had managed to fall asleep amongst all the noise. Settling down on the bench next to Jenny, I rested my head on her shoulder. The noise and the motion from the egines rocked me gently to sleep as we headed for what would be the darkest days of our lives.


	22. Chapter 21

_**Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, here is another chapter for your reading delight. There is a little aristic licence in here, as we all know that girls wouldn't have ended up on the beach, but it works (well I think it does!) Please remember to review. I would like to give a BIG shout out to Ruth for the best review i have received yet!**_

**_Enjoy peeps _**

"OKAY GENTLEMEN! Time to rise and shine! Jerry is waiting for you on the beach! Go get them boys! Move out into your squads and platoons. Platoon sergeants are to oversee embarkation. Good luck and God speed." The shouting voice over the pipe system woke me up. I didn't think I had been asleep that long. Checking my watch, it was a quarter after ten. Nudging Sophia and Jenny awake, we grabbed our things. As we were technically not meant to be on the ship, our names wouldn't have been placed on the manifest for the deployment boats and I hadn't risked everything to get stuck on the ship and have to go back to England.

Heading up on deck, the smell of salt invaded my nose. The smell hit me just as hard as it had done the second time. I had a clear path ahead of me. I knew what was expected and what I must do. I looked around as the soldiers gathered their things and the sailors shake their hands as they climbed down the ropes. I could just make out the beaches and the men lying on the sand.

We were close enough that their screams would be carried on the wind. The distant scream and begging of men who were being slaughtered miles away from their homes. It had been going on for hours by the time we got there, and it took even more time to get the men and equipment loaded off the ship. Sophia and Jenny stood next to me, our hands entwined. The moments that we would spend together now could be our last. I turned to face the women who had started out as complete strangers to me and but who had invoked the strongest of friendships which naturally had into sisterhood. I was determined to be strong, that I would not give in to the weakness that begged to be noticed.

"My brave sisters, I do not know what lies ahead of us," the very sound of the lie made my lip quiver. I had so desperately wanted to tell them what lay ahead, but to come out with such horror would shake their already rocky resolve. "But I pray that whatever is out there you go with the blessing of God and all his Saints." Jenny bowed her head; Sophia just looked me square in the eye.

"Aww now Betty you had better not be going all sentimental on me!" it was her way of dealing with things that she couldn't or didn't want to handle. The sergeant that had almost not allowed us to sail, slowly made his way over. The look on his face betrayed that of his eyes. My mother had always been able to tell when one of 'us children' had been slightly less then truthful and she always said it had to do with our eyes. The sergeant looked busy and alert; telling people where to go, he was focused on his task at hand and yet his eyes told those of us who looked a little deeper, he was just as scared and worried as everyone else. There was almost a trace of guilt. That somehow he was responsible for the men that lay dying on the beach.

"Lieutenants?" his voice was unusually quiet for such a busy place. "We are getting ready to board the medical section. You can travel with them until you hit the beach. CO has just had a signal through, that the majority of your regiment jumped okay and that they are still in the surrounding area. He didn't get where because they cut the transmission short. I wish you all the very best of luck and I hope you don't think I speak out of turn, but I think you are the bravest women I have ever met!" Jenny thanked him and Sophia hugged him.

It was inappropriate but with the situation we were in; she would have told anyone where to shove it. We collected out belongings and headed to the boarding hatch. The sounds of the guns could be heard everywhere. At first I jumped every time they went off. An old memory of hitting the floor flashed across my mind, my arms wrapped around my head, as I lay there. The frustration of not completely remembering everything was insufferable. All the memories of who I used to be were fading as quickly as the sun rose. They seemed nothing more than old dreams, figments of my imagination and there was nothing I could do about it. My parents and family were distant memories now. The harder I try to remember them, the more distant they seem to become. But I wouldn't think about them now. I had a job to do and I needed to be focused.

As the beach drew nearer, so did the sights and horrors of the day. With the memories and flash backs, I had a good idea of what to expect but for others it would be as though they were entering the gates of hell. We scrambled off the landing craft, the remains of lifeless men lay scattered around us, bodies maimed and bloodied, strewn everywhere as we waded the last few feet to the beach through the blood red sea. Those that could still scream, who were clinging on to this painful world, just had to lie there until they could be dealt with. Our medical instinct was to want to treat these me, but we had our objective and so we just walked right by them. Their screams burned into my subconscious, a sound I knew would penetrate my dreams for years.

Sophia and Jenny had made it to the beach relatively unscathed. Jenny, for all her might, was crying, silent tears streaming down her face at the horror unfolding before her. I knew it would have affected her more than the others. As we headed for the cliffs, the sergeants behind us began to shout. Turning around, four of the men we had shared a pod with had been taken out by a sniper. Their eyes, seconds earlier full of life, were now cold. Grabbing Jenny and screaming at Sophia to stop staring, we ran for the relative safety of the cliffs. The crack and thump of the German rounds were getting closer to us. I didn't know if it was the sniper who had so carelessly snuffed out the life of the sergeants behind us. No one knew where the rounds were coming from and I certainly wasn't going to join the list of the dead.

With our backs against the cliff wall and breathing so hard, my lungs were ready to explode. I turned to my friends. Sophia was just staring at the beach. Her usual bravado was gone, instead there was silence. Unsure whether it was just the initial shock of what had happened or whether this had affected her more deeply I didn't know. Jenny on the other hand was rummaging round in her OD's. The more she couldn't find something, the more frantic her searching got. Deciding this was no place for a fag break or a mental break down, I had to get the girls to snap out it.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Hey! Listen to me. You can not go all wobbly on me, you hear? This is neither the time nor the place to loose it! Sophia!" She hadn't taken her eyes of the dying sergeants since we had hit the wall. Moving in her line of sight, I had to know she was okay.

"Soph? Sophia? CARTER!" Her head snapped in my direction. "Look at me? You okay? You gonna be able to handle this?" The questions were playing round in her head. A frown crept across her forehead and then her trade mark smile reappeared.

"Betty, I am just fine. I just had a wobble that's all. No need to go all mother hen on me!" I knew it was all talk, but it was good to have Sophia back. I turned to Jenny, who was wiping her face on her OD's.

"You okay Jelly Bean?" Sophia and I had nicknamed her that on the ship over to England. All she could talk about was her mother's five bean stew and Strawberry jelly. Jenny smiled at me. She was trying to convince not just me that she was okay, but herself too. Jenny had always doubted herself, as to whether she could cope and as much as I had hoped she would change her mind and take an aid station job, she was determined to be a combat nurse. "I am fine thank you Betty. I knew that I would be a little shaken by what I would see. But I am fine. I swear." Looking round, I could see the path that lead right up the beach to the aid station and what looked like some sort of headquarters. Looking out for the sniper, we made a run for it.

I was so thankful now, for the times that Nix and Dick had taken me out on the weighted runs and the "jogs in the park" at five am. Reaching the top, the instinctive thing was too turn round. It was the most memorable thing I would see in my entire life. The beach was covered for miles, as far as the eye could see with blood. I had thought it was bad getting off the pod, but this, this just fed my anger for the Germans. Heading to the aid station, we had to find out where the boys were and find a way of getting there and quickly before they moved out again.


	23. Chapter 22

**Hello my lovely people! I hope that you are all still enjoying Betty's adventures. Thankyou to everyone who has been reading my story, no matter where you are in the world...i thank you. Big big thank you to Ruth, for once again a brilliant review...they really do mean a lot! For the rest of you who just read, mmm at the computer screen and then say..."its not bad"...tell me what you're thinking...pleease! **

**Right enough of me going on, this is the probably the biggest chapter I have posted for this story so far! So sink you're teeth in to this...**

**Much love**

**Tabitha x**

After many strange and surprised looks, a few "what the hell are you doing here" as well as, "oh you need to head back that way", we managed to find the make shift HQ for the 8th medical battalion. Sophia had started to lose her rag with a few of the men that we had encountered along the way. "The next ass that asks me if I am lost, I am going to make them chew on my fist." I chuckled at her, as she blew out cigarette smoke. "I wouldn't expect you to do anything else. Carter!" She threw me a look that told me she wasn't impressed with my sarcasm. Jennifer was still in shock and awe of the entire situation. "Well maybe they haven't been told that women are allowed to work alongside them?" _For ever the optimist_ I thought. This was war. There were no movie stars here, although I had read that the actor James Stewart had joined the Air Force. There was blood and death, the most horrifying sights any man could have be faced with and in the eyes of most of these men we had met, we as 'women' shouldn't be there.

As we spoke to member of the HQ, we learnt that their CO had been killed on the beach assault in the early hours. Checking my watch, it was now almost midday. I was starting to get agitated. _We need to get out of here and we need to do this fast. _I wanted to be with my boys, and whilst they were all big enough and some of them daft enough to take care of themselves, I felt protective. After trying to find the nearest signaller or briefing room, with someone who knew what was going on, the three of us resigned ourselves to the fact that we would have to finds the company on our own. Sophia and I had taken a rest in the makeshift surgery, when Jenny came running through the tent doors flapping her arms like a fish out of water.

"Woooah there Jelly Bean…slow down! What's wrong?" She was breathing so hard, I thought she was going to hyperventilate. Sophia, cigarette between her lips, pulled out her canteen and managed to find a box for Jenny to sit on. Instead she kicked it across the room. Sipping the water she calmed down.

"That officer, the one you work with, the dark haired one, he's here!" I had no idea who she was talking about, but the fact that Jenny had recognised someone from Easy made me shoot up out of my seat.

"Where Jenny, where is he?" dragging me outside, there in the bright Tuesday afternoon sunshine was none other than the 2nd Battalion Intelligence Officer S2, Lewis Nixon. Seeing him stirred so many emotions; I had not seen a member of Easy for almost two months and to know that I was in the right place made me happy. I was happy that he had made the jump and survived, although remembering back to the briefing, he was miles away from the objective.

No one had known about the nightmares I had been plagued with since we had left Aldbourne, but seeing him alive and okay, quelled those fears. I was happy that Jenny had spotted Lewis, not that I would not have been happy to see any of the guys, but Lewis had been sending me letters since we had been away and whilst I had replied to a couple of them, he always wrote them as though he never expected a reply. He was talking to another officer, who by the looks of it had no idea where whoever or whatever Nixon was after was.

"For crying out loud! They are women! You can't miss them! One of them bright blonde hair and the biggest blue eyes you have ever seen." The man, who was infantry, just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Captain; I ain't seen a woman here. They could be at the aid station, some of the medics got snippered as they hit the beach." His shoulders sank, bowing his head; he turned to face the aid station.

"You looking for me?" He turned to look at me, his face lit up like a light bulb.

"Betty! You made it!" I didn't have time to register anything before Nixon had engulfed me in a hug.

"Erm...Lewis you know I need to breathe!" Stepping back I felt embarrassed. All Lewis could do was smile. "How did you know…" I was interrupted as Sophia charged right in the middle.

"OH MY GOD! Nixon!" Whilst Sophia had never voiced it, she had always had a soft spot for Lewis. It was something that she would never admit, no matter how drunk she got!

Once the "Nice to see yous" had been exchanged, we grabbed our bags and headed down to where all the tanks had been parked up. "So how come you were looking for us? You are miles from DZ!" Lewis flicked the butt of his cigarette away. "We got scattered all over the shop. Some of the pilots had never flown through anti-aircraft flak before. They were dropping us all over the peninsular; I haven't seen anyone that was on my plane. When I got here, I overheard someone mention that there were women wandering around the place… and well I'm not the Intelligence Officer for nothing you know!" He winked at me. It was by pure luck and chance that we had met up him. _Someone is smiling on us _I thought as Lewis went off in search of a tank commander and someone that was heading Easy's way. After numerous cigarettes and exchanging the odd "hi" and "nice to see you" with the Infantry guys, Lewis returned with the commander and his crew.

"Ya know Betty, I seriously thought we were goners back on the beach. I don't know if I can survive this! It was the first day and we almost got shot!" I could hear the panic rising in Jenny's voice. With the fact that we were now in different battalions, it was always in the back of my mind, that we couldn't be around to pick up the pieces if one of us fell to bits.

"Hey!" my outburst startled both Jenny and Sophia, who was leaning quite comfortably on the nearest tank. "We are the only three female Combat Nurses in the PIR!" I pulled the girls closer. I didn't want my little pep talk to be over heard by the soldiers. Everyone was scared and to listen to a medic being reassured wouldn't give them the greatest of confidence.

"That means that we are bloody good enough to survive all of this crap, no matter how long it lasts." I paused. I wanted both of them to listen hard to what I had to say. We would all have to survive, on our own, both physically and mentally. "We are here to help our boys, make sure that that they get back to their families and if that means at the end of all this," I waved my arms around, "that if I don't get to go home, then so be it, but at least I know that I would've given everything I had, to do my job." I could see the fear and resolve in each of my best friends eyes that I felt within myself. Whilst I was trying to comfort them, I was trying to convince myself. With all the memories I had, all the things I had seen in the flashbacks, it scared me more than anything.

"Okay then Ladies!" Nixon's calling broke through our thoughts. "Your carriage awaits!" Laughing at Nixon, we started to climb aboard. Before I had chance throw my bags up to the girls, Nixon pulled me over to one side. "I'm glad that I have found you. I was worrying the whole way over there that we wouldn't find you again." I stared at Lewis. His words were honest and truthfully, but at the same time they worried me. "Why would you be worried about me Lewis Nixon? Huh, I'm a big girl!" I tried to brush his concern aside. "When I spoke to a couple of the guys before I tried to find you, they said that the medics were being targeted by the snipers and the fact that your letters stopped. I guess I was just over thinking things right?" I didn't know what to say. "I was worried about you too, you know. But now isn't the time or the place for any of this. We can catch up when we've got to the regiment." Climbing on board, Sophia threw me a look that I dismissed with a shake of my head; I didn't want to go into it now. It could wait until later.

The countryside looked very similar to that of England with its green fields and its tall trees. The only difference was the dead bodies that littered the roadside. We could move no more than 100 meters without seeing a paratrooper hanging dead in his harness. As we passed through, I recognised the body of one particular soldier, nudging Nix, I got him to shout to the commander to pull over. Nixon claimed that he needed to relieve himself, which gave me the opportunity to jump down, cut the guy out of his harness and snatch up his tags. Climbing back aboard, Sophia nodded at my hand. "His name was Wakefield. He worked with me at the medical centre in Aldbourne. Good kid who's got a new wife and baby on the way. Its only right that they know he's dead."

Everything was just so different; I was galaxies away from the world I had left behind. I was used to tending to the drunks and the minor incidents from the Philadelphia streets, not praying for the soul of a dead solider. The gentle rumble from the tank lulled me into an uneasy rest, whilst I hadn't been up as long as Nixon, my body was already exhausted. Leaning on Jenny and Sophia leaning on me smoking on her cigarette, I dozed. The rumble of the tank ensured that I would not sleep well, as the rifle shots could be heard all around us.

I was reluctant to open my eyes the next time we stopped. It had been stop start for the last few miles, and I was determined to rest. It was the sound of a familiar voice that brought me back to the present. Lieutenant Dick Winters was stood right in front me. His red hair was tussled from the drop but his eyes were bright.

"Nice ride you got there Nix, although I would say, your companions are better looking!" Beaming a smile down at the Lieutenant, I threw my shoulder bag and day sack on to the ground in front of me and waited for Jenny to do the same. Looking to the girls sat either side of me; we did not say anything but hug one another. Sophia would be staying on the tank as her battalion was further down. There were no tears or sad goodbyes, just a solemn, unspoken vow that we would see each other again.

"Nice to see that you made it Dick!" I said, as I extended my hand, Jenny just waved; her quietness had taken over again.

"Nice to see you too Betty!" Dick nodded at Jenny and Sophia, who was lighting a cigarette. Sophia just waved. I smiled, as he hauled himself on the tank, taking my seat next to Nixon.

"How are the boys?" I had not seen any of them for months. I was like a child waiting for Christmas; I just wanted to know they were all okay.

"They are doing okay. Some of them are in the barn and a few are by the monument in the centre of town." Waving goodbye, I watched as the tank rolled away. Three of my good friends were sat on the tank, but as far as I know I would only see two of them again soon. As we headed for the barn I saw Popeye Winn being stretchered off to the aid station.

"Popeye! What in God's name happened?" The medics that were carrying him stopped as I closed in on them.

"Oh hey Lieutenant. I got shot in the as…butt. We were taking out some kraut guns that were shelling the beach and I got hit." I took a little peek under the bandage. It was a through and through. Whilst it would hurt like hell for a while, it would heal relatively easily.

"Popeye, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Betty?" I turned my attention to the two medics.

"Ensure that his wound is cleaned with water, apply a second coating of sulphur and then patch him up. When was the last time he had morphine?" The young medic just stared at me. I don't know whether it was because I was a woman or an officer, or both, but the young lad just stared. "Ermmm, I'm not sure Ma'am". Lifting up Popeye's jacket collar there was no morphine syret pinned to his jacket. "Once he is cleaned up give him one dose." Nodding at the medics, I smiled at Popeye. "Don't worry Popeye, we'll have you patched up and back with the boys in no time!"

Jenny and I then headed down to towards the barn where everyone was waiting for the next set of orders. Walking through the door, the boys were either, sleeping, smoking or chatting. Kicking the nearest pair boots off the table, which belonged to Ramirez, I made my introduction.

"So…this is how Easy Company fights the war against the Germans is it? Sat on your asses chewing the fat?" I stood there with a smile on my face and my hands on my hips. The guys shot up out of their seats, some of them to see how had been having a go, someone of them knowing who had disturbed them. Spotting Johnny Martin and Bull Randleman, I smiled. I made a beeline for them, wanting to know everything that had happened while I'd been away. But I was stopped by an arm and a voice whispering in my ear.

"You're not even going to say hello to me Lieutenant?" It was the same raspy voice that could read the phone book; directory enquires; tactical text book or any other boring document and make it sound captivating. Looking round, I was staring into the dark, chocolate brown eyes of Sgt. Joseph Toye. With a grin from ear to ear, I leapt into a hug. I had missed them all, and rank aside; they were all my friends, my brothers.

"Hey Toye, don't be taking all the hugs!" Johnny and Bull had walked over with George Luz and Don Malarkey. I was so happy that so many of them had made it through the jump. Checking the guys off in my head as we hugged and chatted I asked them about their jump and what it was like, and told them of Capt. Francis and his tyrannical attempts at keeping us in England. It was overwhelming to think that I hadn't seen any of the guys for almost three months and to see the changes within some of them in that time was scary to say the least.

Leaving Jenny in the capable hands of Bull Randleman, I headed for the door. There were two people that I had yet to lay eyes or hands on. Heading outside, I went in search of Bill and Joey. I had missed them both so much. Having been apart from Billy before, I was used to the idea and was expectant of the emotions I would have. But being apart from Joey was completely different. The letters had stopped a week or two before either of us left and whilst I understood this, it had hurt all the same. Spotting Bill, I walked up behind him, shushing Webster in the process. I clasped my hands over his eyes.

"Guess who!" I whispered. I was so excited to see him; I could barely contain my smiles. Grabbing my hands, he whirled round. Locking eyes on to me, before I knew it I was pulled into a hug, only for him to push me away in the same minute.

"Why didn't ya tell me?" It wasn't exactly the response I had been after, but I would work out whatever had upset him.

"Tell ya what? Thats I escaped a couple of snipers? It was nothing…" I was fixing my belt as I talked. Billy remained perfectly still. Something wasn't right and I was about to find out why.

"Why didn't ya tell me tha Henry died in January huh?" I snapped up. I could feel the corners of reality beginning to fold in on itself.

"What are you talking about?" I scoffed, "Henry's not dead you idiot! I was writing him letters when we were in England!" Billy just stood there, stone faced. My heart was bounding. Henry had been transferred to another medical battalion before I had left Africa.

"I read it in Johnny's letter. His wife keeps up with the KIA lists back home. Ma would have known, which means she would have told yours, and your Ma would have told you! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" He was shouting at me. Webster had taken a couple of steps back. After the incident in the barn, after the Sobel mutiny, he didn't want to get in the way, in case it all kicked off. Billy had grabbed either side of me, shaking me till I answered. But it wasn't registering.

"Because…because he's not dead! I haven't received a letter from your Ma or mine in weeks. And besides I was writing him letters! He was writing me back!" I was shouting through the tears. Everything was slowing down, beginning to click into place; the gaps between letters, the letters that were 'returned to sender'. I just looked at Billy. Tears blurred my vision; my sobbing could more than likely be heard in the barn.

"NOOOOOO! NOOOOOO! HE'S NOT DEAD! HE'S NOT DEAD! I WON'T BELIEVE YOU! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU…YOU'RE LYING TO ME!" I was inconsolable. My whole body was shaking. I wanted to curl up in the mud and just lie there. It was only then did Billy actually realise that I hadn't known.

"I'm sorry Bee, I'm really sorry. I thought you knew!" A couple of guys from the barn had come out to see what all the shouting was about but Billy waved them away. I didn't want anyone to see my cry, in my own screwed up head, I feared they might think I was some weakling female, who would burst into tears at the slightest thing. Bill and I sat there on the grass; I was staring at the floor and smoking. Neither of us said anything, as there was nothing to be said.

Henry had been my best friend as well as Bill. He was older than both of us, but had always allowed us to hang out with him, especially when I was back from Nursing College. I didn't register when Bill got up and left. I just kept staring at the ground in front of me. The realisation that Henry was lying in some unmarked grave somewhere in Italy made me angry beyond anything I had ever felt. I now _hated_ the Germans.

**Soooo, what did you think? Come on, you can't have read over 3 thousand words and not have some thought on it? Go on, you know you want to tell me what you think! **


	24. Chapter 23

_**Hello my wonderful readers. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter :) Big Big shout outs are in order for LillianaKay2011, Ruthie-r89, Grace of the Damned and Fluffingoreo for all your lovely lovely reviews and I think some of you added me and ITM to your favourite stories listing...THANKYOU so much for that too. The reviews and the favourites listing really does inspire me to keep writting. **_

_**I would just like to take this opportunity to let you all know, if you didn't already, that the world lost one of the original Toccoa men yesterday (26 Feb 2012), Lt. Lynn 'Buck' Compton died surrounded by his family and friends. As this is the first time that Betty meets him, this chapter is written/posted in his memory. (Just to remind everyone that I don't do this for any profit and that the characters in my story are based around those portrayed in the HBO miniseries, not the real men themselves)**_

_**"**__They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: __Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. __At the going down of the sun and in the morning, __We will remember them." Rest In Peace Buck. _

I didn't know how long I had been sat on the same patch of grass, before I felt an arm creep round my shoulder and pull me in for a hug. My eyes were red raw from all the tears!

"Hey…I got told that you were still sat out here, I couldn't find you in the barn." I looked up, to find the concerned eyes of Lewis Nixon looking back at me. He must have returned whilst I was plotting all the different way of avenging Henry's death.

"He's dead Lewis! Henry's dead! My best friend, Guarnere's brother! He was always the one with the sensible ideas and the sensible answers to stupid idiotic questions…he…I'm here because of him!" I thumped the grass around me. "I'm here now, alive and breathing because of him. He told me to accept the transfer and that if anyone had a problem with it then they would have to live with it!" I tried so hard not to cry again, but it wasn't working. I buried my head in Nixon's shoulder. I had tried so hard to be the strong one around the girls and here I was almost inconsolable on the first day. _Get a grip of yourself Betty, coz if you don't the grief is going to kill you._

"Hey kiddo, you gonna be okay?" I didn't know whether I was or not. There was nothing I could do about Henry's death. I could mourn for Henry when all of this was over but for now I had to accept it and channel my anger into something productive or I would become a liability.

"Yea I think so. I think I'm just gonna go and find something to eat and go and see if they need me at the aid station. I wanna check in on Popeye." Kissing the top of my head, Lewis just walked off. His show of affection had me routed me to the spot. He had never done anything like that before and whilst I was sure he was just being the caring friend, there was something I couldn't put my fingers on that made me think otherwise. Shaking the confusion, I stubbed out my cigarette.

I thought I had been so prepared for what the war was going to throw at me, but the idea never entered my brain that it would become personal. Whilst I knew the realities of war all too well, my whole mind set was that everyone I knew was going to be okay. _Take the rose tinted glasses off you idiot. Some of these boys will never see American soil again. You're at war, what the hell were you thinking! _ I rubbed my face and neck, the beat down from my own brain draining me even more. My fingers traced the chain that had lain unnoticed for hours, until they reached the small star at the bottom.

The onset of panic was almost instant. I hadn't seen Joe since I had arrived, what with the emotional meltdown that had just happened; he had slipped from my thoughts. I felt ill with guilt. The majority of the Company had already assembled and the fact that he wasn't around was noticeable. I grabbed my bags. They were part of me now and no matter where I went or slept, they would be no more than an arms distance away. As I searched the faces outside the barn, my panic started to grow exponentially; my heart was beating quicker by the second. I knew he was alive, I would just know if anything bad had happened. _Mom always said that if you had a woman's intuition about a man, then he was the one._ But those thoughts weren't the ones that I needed right now. Everyone had missed their DZ's, otherwise Lewis wouldn't have found us, but as I asked them if anyone knew where he had landed no-one knew.

Deciding the best place to start was inside the barn, I headed there. I could have missed him while I had been sat with Lewis; my panic was putting my brain in overdrive. I scanned the faces on the floor, in the doorways, even those that were sleeping as I headed over. I had to play it cool. Not give too much of my panic away, but as I neared the bar doors, the panic disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Standing with a group of guys, chatting about the day's happenings, stood Joe. His laughter made me smile and the knowledge that he was safe instantly slowed my racing heart. They were all recanting their own version of same event.

"Hey Lt. Nice to see you were able to join us!" Smokey Gordon spotted me as I was about to head for the main doors.

"Smokey, how many times do I have to ask for you to call me Betty?" It was an on-going dance with Gordon and whilst it didn't bother me, it was humour on an otherwise black day.

"Never gonna happen LT. and you know it!" Gordon shouted as he walked away

"So I hear that you guys have been shooting up some guns?" I took Gordon's empty spot in the group.

"Yea, we went and took out some guns! Krauts didn't know what hit them!" said Malarkey, who was dishing out Lucky Strikes.

"Really?" I feigned surprise. Bill had filled me in on the Company's activities whilst I had been away. "I also hear you almost needed me whilst you were there too huh Don? Heading out to a dead Kraut looking for a Luger?" Bill had told me what Malarkey had done in an attempt to try and make me laugh, but instead I just remained silent and with tears running down my face. Everyone started laughing whilst Malarkey was brushing it off.

"I wasn't gonna need you Betty! I was too quick for them Krauts! They couldn't hit a barn door with a shot gun!" Even I was laughing and then I remembered Popeye and the young private that Lewis had told me about.

"You just be careful Malarkey, I don't want to have to be patching you up, cos you've been on some suicide mission over a damn pistol!" Whilst I hadn't meant it to be a stern warning, that's how it came out. If I could lose Henry, it scared me to think how many others could I loose before this war was over? How many other friends would I not have the opportunity to say goodbye to? "So Betty, you seen any action whilst you were coming over?" I was trying to light a cigarette, but the matches from my kit were useless. Leaning in, Joe offered a flame. "You okay?" He whispered. I looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I know you have been crying. Are you okay?" I nodded. It wasn't the time or the place to go into what happened between me and Billy. Dukeman, bless him, was not the brightest kid in the company and whilst most of the guys were in the middle of having a go at him and reminding him of my job, I told him about my time on the beach.

"Yea, I saw a little when I landed on the beach this morning." Their jaws dropped, like children in a toy store.

"You landed on the beach?" It was Joe that asked.

"Yeah! See me and the girls; we technically should still be in England waiting for the very last transport over. Well when I found out, ya'll can guess what I said. So we got dressed, packed our bags and headed down to the quay side and got on board some ship. It didn't matter which one; just any that would get us across here on time. When we landed on the beach, we were all just told to keep running and by God that is just what we did. Dam lucky we were, as there were still some snipers around!" Everyone was just staring at me.

"We were okay though. We hit the cliff wall and headed on up the road. The sniper was taken out by one of our guys. We then bumped into Lt. Nixon and caught a ride here. It's nothing really." I could tell the guys were having trouble digesting what was being said.

"Hey guys, ya'll needed in the barn. Lt. Winters is giving a briefing!" Smokey shouted from the doorway. Guessing I wasn't needed, I said my goodbyes, Joe's fingers brushing the back of my hand, made we feel that little bit safe. I headed in the direction of the aid station. Popeye was sound asleep; laid on his front. The medics had made a hash of cutting his OD's; they now looked like an over-sized top rather than a complete jumpsuit. Whilst the Company hadn't been there all that long, there were rows upon rows of men. Some were almost ready to pass on, to be free of the pain and the suffering that this day had caused and yet there were some that lay awake and were going to survive and live to fight again tomorrow. Washing my hands in the bucket by the front door, I scrubbed furiously at my fingers and behind my nails. Heading towards the back of the station, where the Company Surgeon would be, I was stopped by a Private. His hand clasped onto mine so tightly, I couldn't leave him.

"Are you an Angel? Has God sent you to taken me to Heaven?" Whilst that would normally have landed him a slap round the face, the fact that he was missing his left arm and the majority of his left leg, I instantly forgave him. His name tag said Collins.

"No Private, I'm not an Angel. I'm a Nurse. Now why don't you tell me how on earth you ended up in my aid station?" My hands worked quickly but gently over his body. By getting him to talk, he was focusing on something else. I checked the dressings that had been placed over the wounds. He kept saying that he had to get back to his squad; that his sergeant was going to hound him till he got it right. The poor lad was in shock and which in itself was a nasty thing to have. It made you think of all sorts of crazy stuff. Grabbing a nearby stool, I sat down. His eyes were brown and he had a 'T' shaped scar in his hairline over his left eye.

"Now you are going to be just fine, you hear me. So I want less of this "going to Heaven" talk." I was thankful the kid was too doped up to notice the lump in my throat. _Jesus Betty, who the hell are you kidding huh? The kid is missing an arm, the majority of his thigh. He'll have lost the lot by the time he makes it to England… if he makes to England. _The dosage had made Collins fall asleep, which was the best state for him. He would dream of home and the people that he loved, and if God decided it was time for him to leave, at least I hoped, he would be surrounded by those that he cared for the most.

I lost all track of time inside the aid station. The Surgeon General, who had been my superior back in England, had seen me tending to walking wounded and immediately called me into surgery. It was only when Billy had come looking for me, that I realised it was nightfall.

"Hey listen, me and the guys are hauled up in the back of one of the trucks while we try and get some food together before we head out. Malark is trying to cook something, dunno if it's gonna be any good but it's gonna be hot." The very idea of eating something warm ignited hunger within me. I had managed to grab a little food during a break in surgery, but it had been at least 10 hours since I had last eaten.

"Sure, thanks Billy. I'll just clean up." Heading for the bucket at the door of the aid station, I scrubbed my hands clean. Blood is a funny thing. It can run like water in a river if you don't clip the artery in time, but it stains the crap out of your hands if you don't get it off before it dries. Looking down at my hands, made me think back to Nursing School and how the matron had always insisted we wore surgical gloves for everything. _Not the case now Matron._

Walking down and into the town, there were sleeping bodies everywhere. Every truck, jeep or doorway had someone sleeping or cooking in it. Saying hello to a few of the guys I hadn't seen on my arrival, Billy stopped at the furthest truck.

"Hey guys, look who I found still working!" Billy shouted as I climbed into the truck. Inside I was greeted with the tired faces of Malarkey, Joe, Joe Toye, Lipton, Talbert and a new Lieutenant that I had yet to meet.

"Lieutenant Elizabeth Mae Reedman meet Lieutenant Lynn Compton." I just stared at him. He was just…beautiful. Blonde hair and big blue eyes, he was the stereotypical pretty boy. It was only when Bill pushed me further along into the truck, did I realise that I was staring.

"Sorry, please to meet you." I said rather embarrassed, extending a hand. "And please call me Betty, only my mother calls me Elizabeth." I said as I shot Bill a glare. Buck just smiled.

"Only if you'll call me Buck." I settled in between Bill and Lipton. Malarkey has some sort of meat and bean stew on the go, which didn't look or smell particularly appetising, but it was nice to sit down somewhere, having been stood up for majority of the day. There was a bottle of wine working its way round the truck. Taking it out of Billy's hands, he protested.

"Hey, I was just about to drink that!" He pouted, just like he used to back home. I could tell he still felt guilty for accusing me about knowing about Henry, but I had forgiven him without even saying it. He was my best friend and that's what we did.

"Well it's for calling me Elizabeth. You know that Ma is the only one that calls me that and only when I'm in trouble…which I am never in!" Bill just laughed

"I don't know what you are laughing at William!" Billy shot me the dirtiest look.

"Ha, gotcha back!" I handed him the bottle. I could feel a pair of eyes watching me as I planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Love ya Billy!" I was being silly and very unofficer-like. I was happy that I was alive, I was happy that I was amongst friends. I was happy that my friends were alive. Pushing me away, Billy tried to look annoyed.

"Don't be kissing me!" He shuffled towards the edge. I just laughed. Buck was just staring.

"Okay? So what's the story here then? Are you two…?" He didn't want to offend so he never finished his sentence.

"Oh god no!" I said it a little too quickly for my liking and for Bill's as a look of hurt flashed across his face. There was something in the pit of my stomach that hurt, when he agreed with me. I wanted to look at Joe, but I knew that if I did it would be the biggest give away ever.

"Me and Betty grew up together. Lived two doors down from each other back in Philly." _You missed out the bit where we were or are best friends. _ I just smiled. "We have known each other since we were babies. Our ma's used to put us in the same crib!" _Ha, that gotcha back!_ I didn't know what was wrong with me. Glancing at the other guys, they were all hankering after the wine or telling Malarkey to get a move on with the food. Even with the chattering that was going on, everyone heard it. Joey was the first one to shout.

"Aw Come on Malark!" Malarkey was playing innocent, but we all knew the now knew smell was thanks to his guts.

"Come on what?" Malark just ignored the comments and continued to cook the dinner

"I don't wanna die in the back of this damn truck! That's what!" Standing up, Joe started making for the hatch as he started climbed over Joe Toye.

"Come on, you're standing on my legs!" Joe ignored that protested and crawled out the truck hatch. I so desperately wanted him to stay, but to say anything would be disastrous.

"Jesus, Get me outta here!" Joey jumped down from the truck. I could hear his lighter clicking as he walked away. Lip was reminding everyone about light discipline. A single cigarette could be seen in the dark from up to three miles away. A truck with a fire going in the back could probably be spotted from ten if the kraut had binoculars.

"Light! Light discipline! Guarnere close the flap!" I just sat back and closed my eyes. Whilst Malarkey's smell had dissipated; the smell of his cooking had returned and trust me when I tell you it was hard to tell the difference! Billy as whinging about the krauts and the other guys were still talking about the days attack.

"How's it doing Malark?" Buck leaned in to have a look at the stew that boiling in the mess tin. Slurping some of the stew from the spoon, Malarkey nodded.

"We're doing good!"

"Yea, what the hell do you know about cooking? You're Irish!" The jokes about Malarkey's descent had started already. His red hair and the Irish twang were the biggest give away. Not rising to the bait, Malarkey just shot one back.

"Sir, if you have a reservation someplace else, I would be happy to go with you!" The boys just started to laugh. Handing round the bottle, Billy had decided he was braver in his old age.

"Betty's a girl, she'll cook!" Billy knew that I was anything but domesticated, much to the horror of my mother and grandmother when she was alive. My mother had tried so hard to get me in the kitchen and pass on her recipes, but it just didn't work! Eventually she realised whilst I may have had the hands and mind of a nurse, I was no cook. Many a row had involved my mother begging God's forgiveness to my future husband, as I would make a terrible wife.

"You, William Guarnere, are just about pushing your luck tonight. You remember the last time that I cooked anything? You remember how long your brother was laid up in bed sick for?" Billy stopped middle drink. "I'm referring to the time that I had indulged my mother and had attempted to make a birthday cake for Billy's brother Ernie. But in my clumsiness and hurry to go out and hang out with the boys, I had grabbed the salt instead of the sugar. I took the cake down to Ernie at their house the day before his birthday. He was such a nice kid that he ate the whole darn thing, without as much as a word. It was only when he got real ill, that the Doctor said he had been given an overdose of salt. It was the last time my mother allowed me anywhere near her kitchen again."

Laughing so hard that he could barely breathe, Billy stuck his head out the flap. "Jesus Christ, give me some air!" The other guys were still laughing at the idea that a girl could get something like that muddled up. The laughter was cut short when Dick appeared on the inside of the flap.

"Evening Sir." I said. Whilst I was in front of enlisted guys, I had been told to tow the line and play the rank game. I didn't like it, but it was an order that had come from upon high, so I followed it.

"Evening Lieutenant." Dick nodded at me. Looking round the truck, the bottle of wine was still making its rounds.

"Hello Sir," Buck said. Whilst I knew that he and Dick were just as good as friends as Dick and I were, it was strange to hear someone else call him Sir.

"Did something die in here?" The smell that was emanating from our mess tins and the makeshift cooking stove could have been mistaken from something a little less pleasant.

"Yeah, Malarkey's ass." Joe offered. Dick cracked a smile. It was the first one I had seen since we had landed.

"Any word on Lt. Meehan yet sir?" Buck asked. My fingers nails suddenly got very interesting. The idea of losing any member of the Company was bad enough, but to lose the CO on the first day was a giant blow.

"No, not yet." There was something in Dick's face. He wanted Meehan to return. He wanted the CO back. Whilst Dick was a brilliant leader, he was quite happy to stick with his platoon and squad.

"Don't that make you our Commanding Officer sir?" Billy was gunning for the "Capt. Obvious" title.

"Yea, I guess it does." The statement just hung in the air. Whilst everyone had worked so hard to get rid of Sobel back in Aldbourne and had succeeded, albeit on the verge of having eight of the Company's sergeants shot for mutiny, they hadn't necessarily wanted Dick to be made CO, they just wanted anyone other than Sobel. But the jump from Platoon leader to CO was a big one and not something Lt. Col Strayer or Col Sink could cover up with paperwork. Tom had been good for the boys. Whilst he ruled with a firm hand, he also allowed the men their down time as well. Now that Tom was MIA, the boys finally had gotten what they had wanted all along. Dick was going to be their CO.

"Yea it does." Dick just looked at Billy. Something hung in the air between them.

"Sir." Joe offered the bottle of wine to Dick. I was just about to explain that he didn't drink, but Billy got there before me.

"Joe, the Lieutenant don't drink." Surprising everyone in the truck, Dick took the bottle. I wished that Nix was here to see this, there was no way he'd believe me if he didn't see it for himself

"It's been a day of firsts," Dick drank from the bottle. Whilst the enlisted in me wanted to woop and cheer from him, the officer in me remained still and silent. The look on his face when the wine burnt the back of his throat was even funnier.

"Don't you think Guarnere?" Something had happened between them before I had arrived, but whatever it was it was now settled.

"Yes Sir." Billy was quiet, not cracking jokes or playing the fool.

"Carry on." Dick nodded at Buck and me, whilst the rest of the boys mumbled good night. There was an officer's briefing the following morning and whilst I thought it was just for the platoon leaders, Dick had told me to be there.

"Oh Sergeant" Everyone had thought that Dick had left, until his head had re-appeared under the tarp.

"Yes Sir?"

"I'm not a Quaker!" Without anther word, Dick just left us to it. Everyone burst out laughing. Billy included.

"He's from Lancaster County, He's probably a Mennonite."

Finishing up the rest of Malarkey's stew, I bid my farewells. I had patients to see…well that was the excuse any way. Climbing out the back of the truck, I could see, in the distance, the anti-aircraft guns going off and the planes bombing the crap out of the nearest town. I had no more tears in me. I had made a promise to myself whilst I was in the OR. That I would only cry for Easy Company. I knew them…all of them; how they walked and talked. I knew about their personal lives, their wives and their children. I knew their brothers, sisters, even their dog's names. No, I would not cry for the unknown. I would only cry for Easy.


	25. Chapter 24

**Hello peeps, hope you all are doing okay! I know its been a couple of weeks since I last posted :( wanted to make sure that this chapter was top notch for you all. Please keep the reviews coming in...you're reviews are what inspire me to keep writing! Thankyou all to the regular reviewers and to the new guys who thought "hmmm I'll give this one a read" pleeeeease drop me a line and let me know what you think! **

**Enjoy peeps xxx**

Jumping down from the truck I headed past the Company HQ when someone grabbed me from behind. Grabbing my bayonet, I held it to the guy's throat, to only to find the dark brown eyes of Joseph Liebgott staring back at me. Sheathing my knife, I hugged him. I just stood there in wrapped tightly his embrace, not wanting to move for love nor money. I had missed him so much. With everything that had happened in the weeks before and during this day, I was too emotionally drained to break down again. Just the knowledge that he was there with me in that every moment was enough.

I broke from his arms, "Don't scare me like that! I could have killed you!" Joe just smiled. The twinkle in his eye, the mischief in his grin told me that my statement was wholly untrue.

"Nah, I don't think you would have!" he stepped closer to me. We were in the shadows, as I was sandwiched between the cold brick wall and Joe's warm body. He was just…staring at me. His eyes would move between my eyes and my lips. The space between us got smaller and smaller, till he was so close I was sure he could hear my heart beating.

"I missed you." His breathing was slow._ For the love of God, Joe, please don't do this to me now! _ "I missed you too!" I whispered. We had not been this close since, before I had left for the coast. His letters had helped soften the pain of his absence, chased away the foolish insecurities that I crept in. _Glad to know that girls over analyse things in the 40's as much as they do in the new millennium _But the missing feeling was still there and whilst I thought I could learn to live with it, seeing him earlier that day and being here with him now, made me realise how much I had missed him. My guilt for not thinking of him when I had broken down over Henry brought tears to my eyes. I looked to the sky, begging that they would not betray me and fall. "Hey, what's the matter?" He captured my face between his hands, the twinkle of mischief had gone, his eyes now full of worry. Before I could think of a pathetic lie and stop the tears from falling, he kissed me. For a moment, I had nothing to think about but him. I melted into his kiss. It was a violent or lustful kiss, as I had thought it would be. But instead it was soft and gentle, as I though I was a china doll.

"Please tell me?" His voice pleaded. "I found out that my best friend is dead." The words sounded so hollow. There was no emotion in them, they were flat and lifeless. They stated a truth that I did not revel in. Joe frowned, waiting for me to explain. "Bill's older brother Henry died in Italy, some place called Monte Casino. He was the one who had saved me in Africa. I'm alive because of him." I didn't know if I was strong enough to explain everything. "I am so sorry." Joe pulled me into the hug I had needed earlier. "What was wrong with you?" I mumbled into his shoulder.

I pulled away slightly so I could study his face. "Back in the truck I mean. You didn't even wait for chow." He looked away, running his hands through his hair. It was his biggest give way. He didn't want to tell me, but he was going to anyway. "Malarkey's ass!" I laughed. "I dunno, I just, I got jealous I guess…what with you looking at Buck and messing around with Bill. I just…" I tried so very hard not to laugh. "Hey!" It was my turn to cup his face and steer his attention down to me. "Bill is my best friend and I love him, but not in the way I love you. I couldn't…I've known him way to long." There was this feeling of guilt building up in my chest, as though I wasn't telling him the whole truth but I didn't know why. "and Buck, well…I'm sorry, I know you won't see it, but that guy is a looker. I love you with my whole heart, but he's just lovely on the eyes. You know he played at the Rose Bowl game of '43?" Joe rolled his eyes. "You only know that cos the boys told you!" I laughed. It was true; my knowledge of football or baseball was shocking to say the least. "I promise you now; there's nothing for you to ever be jealous of."

We could hear voices getting nearer. "I need to get going." I whispered. Pulling out of his arms, I felt instantly cold. "Please be careful." He asked. "As always," I answered. We shared one more kiss. This too wasn't one of lust or badly timed desire, but instead it was one a love. A love, which part of me was so happy to know finally existed and a love that I knew would last for as long as I lived. _No matter which generation you live in. _ "I love you" I whispered. Not wanting to get caught doing something that was inappropriate for the time or place, I headed for the aid station and somewhere to sleep. We were back on the road in an hour and I needed to be ready.

Our next stop was St. Côme du Mont. There were still soldiers, who had been scattered all over the place, trying to find their way back the Company. It was nice to see everyone coming back in together. Amongst the newly arrived were Floyd Talbert, Walter 'Smokey' Gordon, Shifty Powers and Albert Blithe. They all looked so much older than the last time I had seen them. They had been fighting with the 502nd since they had landed. Grabbing my bags, I hot footed the link fence around the monument and headed over to where all they were all standing. Joe was showing off the Swastika flag that he taken from a dead German en route down, whilst Talbert pulled out a German silk rain coat. It would come in handy at some point he figured. Flinging his arm round my shoulders, we headed back to where I had been sitting earlier.

"Glad you made it Tab. Was beginning to get a little worried you had stood me up!" Tab feigned his shock.

"Aww Betty, I would never do that to you!" He laughed as he went off in search of Harry Welsh and the other platoon leaders to check in. Sitting back down on the monument, Perconte was showing off his collection of watches to Blithe.

"They're all ticking…unlike their previous owners. You got anything good?" I don't know what it was about the looting that ticked me off. But the idea that if our guys were doing it to the Germans, then the Germans were doing it to our guys pissed me off. All I could see was some happy Kraut rifling through Henry's pockets.

"Perconte, we are here to fight a god damn war, not loot and desecrate their bodies. They are gonna have enough of a bad time when they get to the gates of hell, you don't need to make it any worse for them! Would you like them to do it to one of us, if we got killed?" I hadn't meant to lecture him and whilst some of them saw it as their right to take whatever they liked from the enemy, it just bugged me. Not having time to answer, the call for everyone to get ready was given. We were on the move again.

"Let's go 1st Platoon! Easy is moving out. On your feet!" I collected my bags and headed over to where Harry Welsh was waiting for everyone to assemble. Handing me his canteen, I took a drink.

"Dam Harry, I thought I was used to being in the heat. Summers back in Philly seem cool compared to this!" Harry nodded. "Yea, but I bet you weren't running round France trying to beat off the Germans now were you Betty?" I smiled as I handed back his canteen.

"No Harry I don't think I was." Harry moved forward to brief the men on the next mission.

"Listen up! It'll be dark soon, so I want light and noise discipline from here on. No talking, no smoking and no playing grab fanny with the guy in front of you Luz!" George just smiled at me.

"Awww I'll only play if the Lieutenant does!" Luz cracked a smile. I could nothing but laugh. He was by far the joker of the Company and no matter how close he got to that line; he never crossed it, not with one toe.

"Luz, I think that rule was aimed at everyone, including you!"

"So where we headed to Lieutenant?" John Pleasha asked. He was one of the twelve who had taken out the guns at Brecourt.

"We're taking Carentan." Harry said it so matter-of-factly. By what I had overhead him saying to Talbert, we were on our own, with no possible prospect of any sort of reinforcements anytime soon.

"Gee that sounds like fun!" Hoobler said what everyone else was thinking. I just sighed. There was nothing any of us could do except put one foot in front of the other and start walking.

"It's the only place that armour from Omaha and Utah Beach can link up and head in land. Until we take Carentan, they're stuck on the sand. General Taylor's sending the whole division." It had to be important if Taylor was sending all everyone.

"Remember boys, give me three days and three nights of hard fighting and you will be relieved!" Everyone was laughing, me included. Luz had a knack for imitations and making people laugh right when they needed it the most.

"George Luz, if General Taylor ever over hears you doing impressions of him, he's gonna relieve you…permanently!" George just winked. He knew I was kidding around. Hobbler had volunteered to be lead scout, which was a good thing, because that guy had eyes and ears like a sewer rat.

"Another thing to remember boys, flies spread disease…so keep yours closed!" It cracked a few laughs.

"Luz, I swear to God, that mouth of yours is gonna get you in to trouble one of these days!" He just turned round and walked backwards.

"As long as it is with you Lieutenant, I don't mind at all!"

We marched and then stopped, we marched and then stopped. It was if someone up the top couldn't make a damn decision. The guys were tired, some of them hadn't seen sleep in two maybe three days and with all the digging in and then leaving again it was starting to annoy the guys a bit. The last time the halt was given I decided to head up to the front of the line to out what the hell was going on.

Harry was talking to Hoobler and Perconte. Hoobler took Blithe and headed off in front, Frank headed on back down the line.

"Harry? What the hell is going on?" Whilst I was no infantry soldier, all this standing around wasn't doing us any good.

"We lost F Company. They had bottle necked us up at the crossing and then took off when they hit the damn bridge." I could hear footsteps behind us. One of them was walking heavy on his left, and the other walked through his heel first. Only two people in the world walked like that and both of them were my friends.

"Did you send someone?" Dick was the first to show. He was tired, frustrated and by the way he was holding his weight on his left his right leg was playing up.

"Yea, I sent Hoobler and Blithe."

"Ah Elizabeth, how are you doing? How are you handling the march?" Lewis was being sarcastic. He was tired, hungry and hung-over.

"I'm doing good thank you very much for asking Lewis! I am handling the marching just fine." He turned to Dick, who was checking his map and watch.

"Why are we stopped?" Lewis tried to whisper but it just came out as more of a rasp.

"This is about officers crapping out on their training Nix. We need to get moving!" I was pacing up and down. I needed a cigarette, but since light disciple had been ordered, there was no way I was going to spark up in the middle of the marshes. Besides the need for a cigarette, the mosquitoes were biting me all over and moving gave me something else to focus on than being eaten alive!

"Smack" I got another one. "Damn it, what is with these damn things?" Lewis just looked at me.

"Guess you must taste good, if they won't leave you alone!" He winked.

We eventually reached the outskirts of Carentan. From where we were stood it was nothing special, just a small quaint little French village that turned out to be the only way that the armoured divisions from the beaches could get together and move inland. It was just as important to us as it was to the Germans. Duty rumour had it that a unit of Fallschirmjäger or Paratroopers from the German 6th Parachute Regiment were holding the town.

We were all huddled on our knees on the brow of a hill. Taking the tiniest peek over the top, there was a crossroads at the bottom of the slope. _And any money you want to bet, there is a nice machine gun set up in the café aiming straight at us!_ The order had been given that Easy would attack at 0530hrs heading straight down the middle, with Fox Company heading off to our left and Dog heading off to our right.

Dick was giving Harry Welsh, who was now 1st Platoon's commander, his orders. Easy was gonna be split down even further attacking the town from three points, direct and either side of the cross roads or at least that had been the idea. The minute the machine guns opened up on Harry, Luz and rest of the platoon, everyone dived straight into the ditches. _What do you know…machine guns! _My heart was beating so fast I had enough for two. I had originally been told to wait behind with Lewis and Col. Strayer, as this was apparently "for my own safety."

Taking the risk of being insubordinate and having an argument with a close friend, I challenged Dick's decision. "Sir, I am a Combat Nurse." I had to get the obvious fact in first. Adding the 'sir' made sure that he knew I was speaking a Second Lieutenant not as friend. "Danger is written into the contract. I thank you for your concern; but I need to be in the town when the company goes in." I could see the conflict going on inside his mind. He wanted to protect me and doing so, was acting exacting how he had promised he wouldn't. "Fine Lieutenant" he accepted my request. "You can join along with 1st Platoon."

He leaned slightly closer to me, as though what he wanted to say was only meant for me to hear. "But Betty, stay out of sight and tend to only those that are treatable. Don't go trying to be a hero!" I was now crouched down behind Private Buddy Sutherland who was not only the youngest member of the company, but was trying very hard to hide the fact he was that scared he was shaking. "You'll be fine Bud." I whispered.

When the orders had been given, I was up and out of my spot but not for very long. The German machine gun had opened up, as I glanced in its direction, I saw Harry and Luz make the building to the left, Buddy on the other hand wasn't so lucky. But instead of following them down the road, I stayed in the ditch with the rest of the men. The sight before me was something, which like the beach on D-Day, I would never forget so long as I had my mind intact.

Dick Winters, the most quiet and patient man was now screaming at the top of his lungs, at men who were hunkering down in the ditches. "GET GOING! GET MOVING!" He was flailing his arms around and kicking the men to get them moving. They had panicked and frozen still. What they didn't realise was that whilst they were too busying panicking, Harry and Luz had no covering fire to take out the machine gun that was now trained on Dick.

Sucking in a deep breath and calming my fears, the idea that this was normal washed over me. I wasn't afraid of the German machine gun 500 metres down the road, hell bent on killing everyone that I had come to care about. I wasn't worried that I may be shot and killed. Looking down at the guys around me, I close my eyes, prayed that God would forgive me if this didn't go as planned. I left my pistol where it was, neatly tucked away in its holder and I glanced over at Lewis, who was issuing orders to the machine gunners, I smiled. He frowned until he realised what I was about to do.

Taking a breath and blowing out as quickly as possible before my resolve got the better of me, I stood up and ran for it. I cut through the tall grass on the left side of the road. My boots moved as quickly as I could. The only thing that went through my brain was "You are a complete and utter nut job!" until I slammed into the wall beside Luz and Harry. I didn't see if there was anyone behind me, but when there were shots coming from the other side of the street so I knew something had changed.

"Jesus Betty, where the hell did you come from?" Harry Welsh was in the middle of pulling the pin out his grenade.

"Well, you know I thought I would come and give you some morale…you know like cheerleaders at a football game!" I said, trying to catch my breath. Spitting the pin to the ground, he shouted at George for some covering fire, as the German gunner had switched his attention to someone else. Pinning myself against the wall with my fingers in my ears, George fired at the window as Harry darted out into plain view. Running straight for them, he launched the grenade into the window. _Surprise! Courtesy of Easy Company!_ I knew the room had exploded as I had felt the shock of blast from where I was. Harry, who had been crouched underneath the window, was now kicking the door in as George and I headed over to meet him.

I slammed myself up against the wall inside the house, to make room for George was making a run for it. I took a second to compose myself. _Okay, so you made it, now you are officially in street fight. Use the adrenaline and go out there and save someone's life!_ The pep talk wasn't really needed, but helped with the breathing. Joe and Tipper had gotten over the T junction and now joined us at the house. Joe flashed me a smile before Harry sent them off to clear houses as someone began to shout for a medic.

"Excuse me boys, but I think that's my cue to join in!" One hand on my helmet the other on my shoulder pack, I darted out the door and across to the other side of the road. Cpl Luke Thompson had been shot in the leg and was lying in the middle of the road. Kneeing in front of him, I worked as quickly as I could, throwing his injured leg over my shoulder to elevate it. It wasn't a clean wound as the round hadn't done all the way through. Running my hands across his thigh, the young man shouted in agony.

"Geez doc!" I could feel the small lump of lead. I didn't have time to get it out there and then, it would have meant exposing us both. Wrapping a bandage around his wound and inject morphine into his opposite leg. Something caught my attention. I heard the tick tick of the bazooka as it was preparing to fire. Grabbing the corporal, I tried to drag him out the way. Realising there wasn't enough time, I flung myself over the top of him to shield from any debris. Writing on the man's forehead the time and pinning his syrette to his lapel, I hollered at a passing soldier to get the guy to the aid station. As I stayed knelt on the ground for a second, when I saw Joe following Tipper out the alleyway.

It all happened in slow motion, as though God was pressing button. A German solider came out the now bazooka'd house with his arms up in surrender; Joe was running at him, his pistol poised. Without a second's hesitation Joe pulled the trigger and the German was dead. I just stared. There was the man I loved, the man that I would, without hesitation share the rest of my life with and he had just shot another man in front of me. It wasn't to save me or save himself, it was just because he was a German. I understood this truthfully. I was not upset at the idea of a German dying, but I was upset at the idea that the man who was so gentle and caring was forced to snuff out another life 'just because'. I blinked, time had sped back up. _Get fucking moving you idiot. _The modern Claire was still in there somewhere and liked to shout now and again. Grabbing my bags I stood up and headed for the nearest building. Someone nearby was shouting for a medic and so I answered the call.

_Shit, shit shit shit shit, shiiiiiiiit _was the only thing I could think about when I reached Sgt Fergusson who was trying to staunch the blood flow on Private Scott's neck. Over lapping his hands with mine, the iron in the blood attacked my nose. Instead of recoiling from it, I breathed it in. I allowed it to it to fill my lungs. This was my smell, it would become me. Whilst the mortar teams would smell of spent ammunition, I would smell of blood and death. As I held the pressure with both hands, I got the sergeant to get sulphur and a bandage.

"Sergeant, go in my bag and get me some sulphur and another bandage!" I shouted over the noise. The crack and thump of the bullets made me inch closer. He was thrashing underneath my hand, his throat gurgling as he tried to say something. The sergeant held him down but it was no use. Private Scott had been fighting to hold on to the very last thread of his young, inexperienced life. With his eyes staring up to the heavens I whispered a prayer and closed them. Telling the sergeant to leave, I grabbed the bandage from him, ripped off Private Scott's ID tag and got up to move on to the next casualty. But as I ran towards members of 2nd Platoon, I heard the explosion above me. My hands went up to protect me, but it was no use. Everything went black.


	26. Chapter 25

_**Hello my lovely readers, I hope that you all have had a lovely Easter and that your lust for chocolate eggs has been sated :) So on with another chapter.**_

**_Just a little info for you all...I have been using the memoirs of some of the soldiers to try and get a little more detail than what the tv show gives me, that is where the references to the medal parades comes from at the end of this chapter and just to remind everyone, the characters that I write about are those portrayed in the series not the real men themselves! _**

**_Please enjoy xx_**

I was floating or at least that's what it felt like. I was weightless and staring up at the clouds. As my eyes came into focus, I was greeted with beaming smile of The Angel.

"Mon Cherie, what on earth are you doing on the floor?" I sat bolt up right. Patting myself down, I didn't feel any blood or bruises, although it was quite possible that I would have a nasty lump on my head.

"I don't know. What happened? We have to get of out the street." Jumping and grabbing at The Angel, the man smiled.

"Cherie, there is no reason to be worried. We are not here." I looked round. I was once again completely invisible to the people around me. I could see in the distance Joe Toye heading towards the aid station…with my body.

"Crap…not again!" I said as I sprinted off to catch up with him. From what I see I was just unconscious. Shouting as he made his way through the crowd, the walking wounded moved aside. Joe lay me down on the nearest bed. Doe Roe was there tending to Dick. It was strange to see what was happening around me without being actually there.

"God, please don't say she's dead!" Dick whispered as Joe was explaining to Doc what happened.

"She was knocked out by a piece of debris; she was too close to the building that got hit." Patting me down, Roe checked my pulse and flashed a light into my closed eyes.

"She okay...just out cold. She gonna have an almighty headache when she wakes up." I turned to the Angel, who looked like he was talking to Blithe.

"Hey!" I was annoyed at the idea I was in 'limbo' land again. The Angel wandered over, his smile still plastered on his face. "What on earth have you got to smile about? We are in the middle of a fucking war and I'm lying un-fucking-conscious! WHAT IS THERE TO SMILE ABOUT?" The Angel seemed to realise that I had a point.

The smile dropped and was instead replaced by a frown. "Cherie, you are lucky you are still alive. But do not fear, you are still strong in both worlds." His words hit me like a giant wave. A sudden influx of memories sped through my brain. My parents sitting beside my hospital bed as I lay there silent and unresponsive. My friends coming to talk to, read me books and playing me music, reminding me that everyone still cared. I suddenly felt a flood of guilt.

Guilty for wanting to be with the men around me, guilty for wanting to stay with them and make sure that every single one of them would be okay and yet the guilt I felt for putting my parents through the pain and suffering was almost unbearable. The Angel saw the conflict on my face.

"Cherie, it was your decision to make and one that I can change any minute." He glanced back to my unconscious body. There I was lying unconscious in two realities and all I had to do was make a choice. "Put me back." I told him. "Put me back in there," I said pointing at my body. "I need to be with the men. I need to make sure they are okay." The Angel nodded as he walked away, muttering something as I called out to him.

"I don't know what you are, but I'm guessing you're some sort of Angel," he turned to me. I was about to make a decision that could change the rest of my life. "so anyway, you said to me that there would be a time where you would have to come to me and give me the big ultimatum. I'm guessing that's not now," he nodded. "Okay, so," I breathed out.

_Here goes nothing! _"Please don't give me the option of going back. I am Betty, Claire is still in me, but she fades everyday. But I have become Betty now and I want to see this through. Come and find me when you are meant to and not before." The Angel frowned as though what I had said to him was double Dutch or was the idiots guide to the relative space time continuum. "I will be following you always Cherie. I will always be around if and when you need me. But do not worry; I will honor your request. Now!" he exclaimed. His over exuberant smile once again appearing on him face. "Back to the world you go!"

I could hear the sound of people talking round me, people whispering in the worry that they would wake me up. The very tips of my fingers were all tingling with pins and needles and as I wiggled them to restart the blood flow, my hand was seized by someone. The memory of being hauled off the ground gave me a rough idea who it was now holding my hand.

"Joe?" I asked through a croaky voice. As I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the bright smile of Joe Toye. "Welcome back Lieutenant." I took a moment to get my bearings. From the time with the Angel, which was fading with each passing second, I knew where I was and who was in the room. Doc Roe was standing over me, checking my eyes and my pulse. I had the onset for the biggest headache.

"Joe? What the hell happened?" I had to play the idiot. I couldn't come out with the fact I knew he had carried me to the aid station or that Dick had thought I was dead.

"You got hit by debris, knocked you clean out!" I tried to sit up, but had the firm hands of Eugene Roe from Baton Rogue were pushing me back into the bed.

"Lieutenant, you need to rest. You have a head injury and I don't want you walking around." _Dam it, why did he have to say that! _ Feeling my head for a bandage or blood, I patted myself down quickly to ascertain any other injuries. _Nope, not a single scratch! Dam I'm one lucky cow!_ Swinging my feet over the side of the cot, Roe threw me one of his looks. Waving him off, I extended my hand to Joe. "Eugene, I am walking wounded. Hell I ain't even wounded, not a drop of my blood has been split, praise the lord. Now you want me to lie in bed like it's a Sunday afternoon, when there are men lying on stretchers on the ground." Roe couldn't meet my eyes "No,I do not think so. Now throw me some Aspirin and your canteen and let me get to work." Eugene just shook his head, threw me the box and went back to tending to Dick's leg.

As I closed the cap on the canteen, I caught sight of Joey. He was leaning over a near by cot, his OD's soaked in blood.

"Joe?" I tried to hide the panic rising in my voice. "Liebgott?" I managed to croak out. He turned to see me wobbling my way over to him. He frowned as he realised I wasn't tending to a patient, I was the patient.

"Betty? Lieutenant?" He corrected himself. "What the hell are you doing in here?" He whispered. I looked down at the man in front of us. It was Tipper.

"I was knocked out by a piece of debris from a house that got hit. Can you believe it? I got knocked out! Trust me eh!" I shrugged it off as started to roll my sleeves up. One of the other medics from Dog Company was working on Tipper. Covering his legs and cleaning up his eye.

"What the hell happened to him Joe?" I washed my hands in a bowl of water, it wasn't much, but it would do. "He was in a room when the Krauts fired a mortar. He was walking on broken legs!" I took a quick peep under the gauze. "Shit". Pushing Joe out the way, I got hold of the medic and told him exactly what I wanted. "Warm water, you understand! Gauze, surgical tape, tweezers" I sent him searching for everything I would need to fix Tipper up before he reached the dam hospital." I could sense the tension rolling of Joe and Roe who were both stood behind me.

"Betty, you ought to be taking it easy!" I whirled round and glared at the pair of them. "I should NOT be taking it easy. Tipper needs immediate medical attention otherwise he's off to meet St. Peter…" I whispered the last bit as he was still quite lucid. "And as his company medic, I ain't leaving him to lie here. Now if you're not going to help me then please get out of my way!" I turned my focus back to Tipper and the medic who had now arrived with more stuff than I had actually asked for.

It was hours later when Nixon came into the aid station with something that barely resembled food and coffee. Dick had been patched up hours ago and from then it was a constant flow of wounded. I had no time to get emotionally attached to any of the men that I treated, but I did find myself spending that little longer working on any Easy guys that came in.

"Betty?" I was in the middle of setting a guy's shoulder back into place. "Okay now Sergeant, now this is going to hurt, so you can either start shouting now or take the man test…" he tried to smile it off. "I'll take the man test ma'am." With the help of another medic, we braced him. "Ready, 1,2….pop!" the sergeant clamped his mouth shut, determined not to shout. "Well done Sergeant." Turning to the medic, I told him to strap him up and make him comfortable. "Make sure he gets some morphine for the pain." Turning to Nixon, I hungrily took the food. It wasn't the best thing I had ever eaten. Nothing like my mother's spaghetti or her stews but it was hot and it would fill my belly.

"Thanks Lew." I slurped at the coffee, its bitter taste assaulting my taste buds. "So, what's new then?" Lewis was taking a swig out of his hip flask. "The company is moving out. Our objective has been achieved and the higher ups want us to take the higher ground so we have a defensive position in case the Germans try a counterattack. You need to be ready to go in the next half hour."

The only time that I was aware my feet hurt was when Penkala mentioned his blisters. "I swear, I've had these boots for getting on two years, been through Toccoa, the frying pan, that dam march and on the day that it matters the most, I get damn blisters!" I wiggled my toes in my sodden boots. My feet ached too although I was thankful I didn't have blisters. As I meandered between the guys, I heard Frank Perconte asking a soldier's favourite question…"Why?"

"Okay Genius, answer me this then – why is Easy Company the only company who is either at the front of an advance or like now exposed at the far edge of the line?"

"To keep you on your toes," it was one of those annoying answers that got said when no one wants to hear people gripe. But Frank always had a comeback. "No that's not what I was saying; I'm saying that we are never in the middle and we're the fifth of nine companies of this regiment, Able through Item. Think of it." No one was in the mood to hear Frank moan about how far we had to march because that's what everyone wanted to know.

"You see that? You see that hill…" Hoobler never got to finish what he was going to say when the rattle of a German machine gun interrupted them.

"Contact right! Get in the hedge row!" Harry was yelling at everyone, I stuck close to George. Frank had legged it when the firing had started as he was needed with his squad. George would have to be close by the commanders as he had the radio. The firing went on for hours. There were a few casualties on initial contact but nothing as the light started to fade.

The rain had started as the sun went down and it had not intention of stopping. The grass changed to soil and the soil changed to mud. I was holed up a fox hole with George. His radio was the sore point in every conversation. "George, I have not slept in over 72 hours. Whilst the krauts are singing their way through the night, is there any way that you can shut up your bastard radio…..please?" I was tired and getting crabby.

"I am, Betty," he whispered. He had been fiddling with it since it had gone dark. "There's nothing I can do with it. I need it switched on, in case Lt. Winters needs to get in touch with Company HQ, besides that I think it got shot!" The pitch in his voice gradually got higher as he checked the dam contraption. _Roll on the days when radios are small enough to fit in our pockets! _"Betty look, the bastard krauts shot my dam radio!" He pointed the small dime size hole at the corner of the set. "Good for you George. But if you hadn't noticed…I'm trying to sleep!" I opened an eye and glared at him. He soon caught my drift. "Sure Betty. I'll erm, I guess that they won't be needing us soon. The krauts aren't going anywhere!"

I don't know how long I had been asleep for, but the shouts for a medic disturbed my dreamless peace.

"Lieutenant, wake up." The request was followed by someone shaking my arm. Grabbing their wrist, I whipped their hand over and had them in a wrist lock before I had even opened my eyes. "The next person that wakes me up and isn't dying, will end up dead themselves!" Opening my eyes, I looked up to see a young private from 1st Platoon wincing in pain.

"Lieutenant, Liebgott and Talbert …he's injured ma'am. Please…ahh…ma'am, can you let go of me?" I quickly released the young lad's wrist. "What's wrong with them?" I said grabbing my kit. Whilst I didn't want to appear panicked, I did want to know what's going on. The young Private had filled me in as we headed to Tab's foxhole. I was a little calmer as I knew that it wasn't Joe that had been hurt, but it made me just as worried as Tab was a good friend. I could hear him yelling a mile off. Roe was already there sorting him out.

"Jesus Tab, I'm surprised that the krauts can't hear you hollering!" I said with a smile. Kneeling down I watched Roe sprinkle sulphur and apply a bandage. Whilst all that was going on the young Private Smith behind us was still apologising for bayoneting Talbert, claiming he "looked like a Kraut!" I had heard enough. We were all tired, we were all exhausted. Having been on the front line for the same about of time as everyone else, there was no excuse for what Smith had done.

"Pte. Smith, if I hear you apologise one more time, I swear to God Almighty himself, I am going to lay you out and stitch your mouth shut! The next time that someone taps you on the head, don't instantly think they are a Kraut. If you don't know who they are, then challenge them, this is why we have passwords. If and only if they come back with something other than the correct response or their name in English then you have permission to stab them." Smith turned and faced his front. Roe and Joe helped Tab sit up and I headed back to my foxhole with the hope I would get some sleep before all hell broke loose…..again.

The sleep came easily, as I was running on the last of the adrenaline from the few days but it went just as quickly as it came. The men had been told that they would be attacking the Germans at 0530 hours the next morning and when they said attacking, it meant everyone giving everything they had. Dick had briefed the Platoon Leaders on what was expected and they then disseminated down to their respective men. Being that I floated between the three platoons, I tagged on the end of Harry's briefing.

"Fire and manoeuvre is game, fire and manoeuvre. Betty, are you and the other medics doing okay?" I had managed to restock out supplies when we had been in Carentan. "We're all stocked up. Spina is covering 1st Platoon and the furthest half of 2nd and Roe is covering the other half and 3rd. I'll be floating between the two." I had even finished the sentence when the shout of "incoming" was given. _Here we go again_ I thought. Whilst I knew that I was going to happen and I was prepared. I always started to panic when the bullets started to fly. If I allowed my fear to creep to the surface and control me then it would infect everyone else and that just could not happen.

Dick was already heading off down the line, making sure that the guys were giving everything that they had at the Germans. Harry was screaming for the OP to be opened and make sure that HQ knew what was going on. "Reedman on me!" I was on Winters' tail before he had the thought of looking round for me. I followed him down the line, making sure everyone was doing okay. It was only when Luz shouted for a medic did I break away. It all just seemed a blur, the bullets, the shouting, the smell of spent ammunition, the blood. I headed on out to tended to Smokey Gordon and his co-gunner after they were hit when the German Panzer flew some trees in half they got caught by the splinters.

Just as quickly has it had started it seemed to be over. Little did we realise it was just after midday when the Sherman's of 2nd Armoured Brigade tore their way through the tree line. When they arrived and started to shell the Germans. I never saw anyone's face light up as much as the guys did when they saw the tanks. They had held the line, following their orders to defend Carentan to the best of their ability and training and it had paid off.

When it was all over and the Germans had turned tail and fled, I took a moment to sit down. We, as a company had not stopped since we had made our landing in this God forsaken place. The days blurred into one another and it was easy to lose track of time. I had collared a couple of the mortar boys to help with the evacuation of the wounded and dead back to Carentan.

I lay the dead to rest in their own place, silently saying a prayer for them collectively. Collecting their tags, I handed them off to Pte. Walsh. "Make sure that the administrator at the aid station gets these discs." The poor lad could only nod. Whilst he had survived D-Day and the fight for Carentan and even the fight in the hedgerow, his faceless expression said that he had not won the silent mental fight. I could only hope that he survived long enough to get the help that he needed. Sending him back to help with the evacuation was the nicest thing I could do for him.

Digging around my jacket pocket, I wanted my Lucky's. I was tried, scared and apprehensive all at once. My patting for a lighter became more frantic until a hand came out of nowhere holding a flame. "Here you go Lieutenant." Shifty Powers was the nicest man that you would ever want to meet. He was polite and very quiet, that made me think he was a little shy around officers. But when it came to shooting, boy could that guy hit a dime at a hundred yards! "Thank you Shifty." He just nodded and headed on back to his platoon.

We had been on the front line for a little over 34 days when they pulled us off. The Company had jumped with over 139 men and officers and were leaving with less than half. We had a promotions and medals parade in the field the day after Lt. Col Strayer had officially promoted Dick to Captain. Lt. Gen Bradley was in attendance, bestowing the medals to the men. Colonel Sink had recommend Dick for the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest medal any solider can receive whilst serving in the military.

It was a big day for the Company, Regiment, even the Battalion. Eleven members of Easy Company alone were amongst the recipients. Billy, Lipton, Malarkey, Toye and Wynn all received medals for what they had done on D-Day. It was the high note that we needed to return to England on. We were then moved to a rest camp just south of Utah beach. The field camp was like paradise. They had hot showers and hot food.

It hit me just how many we had lost when only five tents were allocated to Easy. We had lost Private. Albert Blithe ten days earlier when he had been shot by a sniper. The bullet had gone through his collar bone and out the other side, luckily enough not killing him. Billy had brought him in along with Harry and Lewis. I had stayed with the rest of the Company running an aid station to treat the minor nicks and scrapes. I checked over Dick's ankle and made sure that Bull's bruising was going down. It had panicked a lot of people when Blithe had been brought in. We hadn't seen a sniper in days and Blithe had volunteered to lead scout.


	27. Chapter 26

_**Hello everyone, I'm very sorry that I haven't updated since Easter. With everything that has been happening with work, it has been hectic to say the least. I have a couple of more chapters for you to sink your teeth into. As always please let me know what you think...the review button is at the bottom of the page :) **_

**_Enjoy x_**

Whilst we weren't returning back to the states, the fact that the trucks waiting to take us back to Aldbourne was good enough. I was hoping all the way back that I was going to move straight back into the cottage.

I had seen Jenny on the transport ship tending to some of men from Dog Company whilst on our voyage back and boy had she changed. She smoked and was more confident. Barking orders at the patients and much to my surprise had even learnt to swear. The lower deck of the ship had been set aside for the wounded.

Jenny had been treating one of her guys whilst trying to keep an eye of several others. "Private Woodson, if you do not sit you bee-hind back down on that bed, I swear to Almighty Jesus himself, I will dope you up so much you won't even know you own goddamn name!" I was shocked to say the least. I had never heard Jenny say so much as boo to a goose let alone threaten a man twice her size. "Lieutenant Carter!" I waited for her to spot me at the door. "What? Can you not see that I'm busy?" After I stood there tapping my foot, she turned around. Her face dropped and before I knew it I was enveloped long awaited and much needed hug. "You do not know how much I have waited to see you." It was more of a curse than anything else. Promising me that she would find me once we arrived in England she went back to her patients. Spinning on her heels she spotted the two privates trying to sneak out for a cigarette. "Now if y'all wanna be limping for the next week, I would suggest y'all get back to your beds gentlemen!"

We arrived back in England on the 12th July, just shy of 6 weeks from the day we left. Once again, being the only girls in the regiment, we were billeted in our little cottage. It was nice to come back to the same place. The cake shop and the bakery in the high street permeating the most wonderful smells, it was as though we had never left and the horrors of what lay on the other side of the English Channel didn't exist. But when someone that you knew wasn't around, their name was read out by mistake or their belongings were still in their room, it hit home. They weren't coming back. The people of Aldbourne opened their homes, lives and hearts to us.

Colonel Sink had instructed that everyone was to have a week's leave. The minute the trucks were ready to take people to the train station, Aldbourne reverted back the quiet, quaint little English village that it has once been before we had arrived. I headed to London like so many of the Battalion had done. It was a nice place to escape. The bright lights took your mind off the darkness and torment that would creep back in if you stood still for too long. I had memories of bright lights and of places to go that weren't there. After a few attempts of trying to find things that I thought I remembered, I gave up dragging Jenny around with me.

Sophia had headed in with a few of the Able Company guys that she worked with. Jenny had only stayed 3 days in London and then headed back to Aldbourne. The V1 Flakzielgerätor the 'Doodlebug', was Hitler's secret weapon. The Flying Bomb was terrorising London and Jenny didn't like the idea of being on alert even when she was on leave. "Dam it Betty, can that small horrible little Kraut not leave me the hell alone for one week? Just for one week so I can walk down the street without worrying if I'm going to get killed by his dam bomb! I would rather go back to France than stay here!" I knew how she felt. The whole idea of coming to London was to get away from the war; to relax and have some fun. But with what London was going through at the time, we should be so lucky to even have one day without the sirens going off.

Once leave was over, there was so much to do. There were kit checks and re-issues, PT and sports. Then there were the medical reviews and the check-ups of those that had been injured and then released and then there was the one thing no one wanted mention, the memorial services. I cried at every single one. In some ways being a medic was the best and worst job of the war. I was there to save them and it is the best feeling ever when you know that someone will live to fight another day or better still make it home safely, albeit without a leg but at the same time it sometimes works out that I'm the one that can't save them. _But you're the one with the medical experience. You're the qualified nurse! _The same thing flew round my head when I ripped off another ID disc. Some medics only remember the ones that they saved, whereas me, I'm the kind of person who only remembers those that don't make it, especially if they die in my hands.

After each service I would wait until the very end, even after Father Maloney had left and then I would ask forgiveness for the passing of each of the boys that died in my hands. I had done it every day since we had come home. I prayed that God didn't think me a lesser person for not being able to save them and that he thought even lesser of the Germans for killing them in the first place. I remember my father telling me that if I did not come to peace early enough with my demons, they would follow me through my time in the army, then by the end of it they would have conquered me.

The last service had been at night, the guys all piling into the Blue Boar to have a "few for the men." I waited behind. "You know it is not your fault that those guys are dead?" I didn't have open my eyes to know who it was and I was happy that he was there. "Isn't it Billy? I could have saved them; I _should_ have saved them…I had just needed a little more time." I shouted! My outburst shocked me more than it did him. He had seen me fight with my brothers and then there was the odd "difference of opinion" that we had had, so this was nothing new. "I SHOULD HAVE SAVED THEM. DAM IT BILL, IT IS MY JOB TO SAVE THEM!" I shook with anger and sorrow. "I should have saved them!" I cried. I didn't see him stand up from the pew at the back of the church, but the moment his arms wrapped around my shoulders, helping me to stand and face the demons that tried to control me, I knew I was safe. "Why are you so angry? Huh? You did not kill 'em. You did everything dat you could wit what you had." I couldn't bear to look at him. Why was I so upset? _Because I feel guilty. _There I had admitted it. Even thought it was in my head, it was still loud enough for Him to hear it. "Betty, look at me?" I refused at first. My face was a red and streaked with tramlines from where my mascara had run. "Betty, please?"

I lifted my chin, my eyes focusing on a button on Billy's uniform. I was thankful it was Bill that was there, the only other time I had let my emotions take over was when I had found out about Henry's death in Monte Casino. "I know dat you feel bad that you couldn't save the ones that died but think of all the ones that you did save? Huh? Tipper and Blithe wouldn't be around if it weren't for you! Don't think of all the guys that didn't make it Betty, but think of the ones who are in hospital or the ones that are still with us because of you saving 'em." He was right, but the guilt felt too much. "The guys dat died wouldn't want you, stood here hollering at me or God for their deaths. As long as you keep the promises you make to 'em, then God will not think any better or worse of you." I collapsed into tears again. He knew me so well and even after everything that had happened between us before we had left for France, we was still there for me. Handing me his handkerchief, I wiped my eyes.

There would be people coming back in for prayers and communion. He kissed the top of my head and then ruffled my hair as he used to do when we were kids and left me to my thoughts. I knew I needed to be strong. If I wasn't then it would be noticed and someone somewhere down the line would think that it would be a very good excuse to send me home. "Hey Billy?" He turned around before he left the chapel. "Yea Bee?" "You not tell anyone else about this? Don't want the guys to think me a…" Bill just waved his hand. "Never saw nutin' Bee." "Thanks." He winked and waved as he left. There had been no need to thank him. He was my best friend and whilst he wasn't blood he was closest I was going to have to family.

The sound of music filled the front living room as I unlocked the front door. With Sophia still away on leave, it was just Jenny and I in the house. I was frozen in shock at the sight that was before me when I walked into the cottage. There in our living room was Jennifer and four officers from Dog Company. "Betty!" It was evidently clear that they were all well on their way to being drunk. The empty bottle of whiskey told me that. "Jelly Bean? You having a little party?" Jenny swayed over to the door way. Her footsteps carefully placed so not to trip over her own shadow. "I hope you don't mind that I invited a few of the boys over!" I was amazed. Her transformation in the last six weeks was astronomical. I took hold of Jenny by the shoulders. There was something different in her eyes. She was stronger, that much was clear, but there was anger in her eyes, an anger that hadn't been there before even if she plastered a smile on her face. The fear that had once crippled her on the beach was gone.

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with the really Jennifer Carter that I know and love?" She just smiled at me. Jenny was still there but buried deep in the subconscious.

"I grew up Betty Mae!" Jenny whispered in a slight slur. "I can see that Jelly Bean," I didn't know whether I should have been worried or relieved that she was now drinking and smoked almost as much as I did. "You have fun now, I'm heading to bed." I dragged myself up the stairs. Changing for bed was about as much energy as I could muster. Pulling the sheet back, I climbed in. The emotional outburst had completely drained me. I would have cried myself to sleep had I had energy left. As my head touched the pillow; I smiled as I could hear the voices of the strangers, who waited for me.

It is said that dreams are what your conscious mind cannot process, so it saves it and tries to work it through when you're asleep. But the idea of dreaming about songs and people I recognised but have no recollection of meeting worried me. Their faces would appear to me and I would feel comfortable in their presence. The lady who was always there when I woke up was like a mother figure. She always seemed to be so pleased to see me and whilst it took her a time to understand that my name was Elizabeth, she was still pleased to see me none the less. The strangely familiar things in my room would baffle me. But somehow I would always be able to find music. The lady said that I had always enjoyed listening to all sort of music. I would lie back on the huge bed and watch the patterns on the ceiling change with the light. The unusual songs with their strange music would float around the room, keeping me company when the lady had gone. The tune almost familiar as though from a distant memory, but the words completely new to me and yet it was the same thing every time I woke up, their faces would disappear but the songs would stay. "_I don't need a parachute, Baby when I've got you."_

With six new officers now part of Easy and a lot of the Toccoa men promoted to Corporal and above, the field exercises started to show the replacements what was expected of them. We all knew that this 'holiday' wouldn't last forever. We even received a couple of new medics in, whilst it wasn't normally on the agenda, the first place I took them was the local military hospital. It hadn't been my intention to scare these boys; I just wanted to give them some idea of what they could to be facing.

I had the experience of Pearl Harbour and the mind numbing flash backs to prepare me for what I was going to face on D-Day and whilst at the time I wished I didn't have them, I knew they had prepared me better than not having them at all. In France, I had learnt quickly that not everyone selected to be a medic is cut out to be one. The slightest sight of blood can turn a man from a gallant hero to a gibbering wreck depending on the circumstances. I had left the introduction of the Battalion's new medics in the capable hands of Eugene Roe and Spina, as I had been summoned to the Company CO's office.

I waited outside. It wasn't very often that I did so, which meant that there was someone senior in there with him. _Come on Dick, get a move on! _ The door opened and out walked Pte Smyth, Lt. Colonel Strayer's new runner. Saluting me he just carried on about his business.

"Lieutenant Reedman." I was summoned. So many thoughts were running round my head. _Where they going to send me home now that they realised they couldn't use me on the next mission. Had they found out about Joe and I? Were they going to promote me? Were they going to demote me? _I had no idea.

I marched in, halted and saluted to no one in particular as Dick, Lewis and Colonel Strayer were stood around the drinks decanter. Dick was holding a glass of water whilst Lewis had a generous measure of whiskey. "Lieutenant, Captain Nixon tells me that you like Bourbon." I was a little shocked by the informality of the conversation. "Yes sir I do" "Good! Grab yourself a glass." I did as I was instructed. A slight smile of Dick and a wink from Lewis told me that this wasn't going to be bad meeting.

"Now, I going to cut to the chase of it Lieutenant, we're sending you away." I almost choked on thin air. "Sir?" I tried not to sound as panicked as I was feeling. My hands had become sweaty and all I could do was look from the three faces sat around me.

"Don't worry now, we aren't sending you back home. Just to Hungerford for a few weeks. Captain Winters and Captain Nixon have made it clear to Colonel Sink and I that if we were to be called forward for another mission, then you would not be able to join us and well frankly I don't like the sound of that." The CO placed his drink on the table. Handing me an envelope he nodded for me to open it. "We are sending you to Chilton Foliate." I stared at the assignment orders in my hand. "Sir, I…" I had no idea what to say. "We have arranged a place on the course for you and seen as you are not infantry by trade then you fit the criteria." I couldn't believe this. Even with all the memories from the future doing through my head…this was unprecedented. This was _history_ being made.

"You'll be the first female to complete parachute training." And there it was as bright and clear as pink neon lights in Hollywood. I would be the first female to go through jump training. _This is crazy…I will be changing the course of history…this could be bad…but at the same time very very good!_ "Thank you Sir!" Col Strayer smiled and shook my hand. Dick nodded, he wasn't a man of many words and Lewis had a big grin on his face. " The transport will leave in the morning." I saluted and left the office. My head was spinning. _I have been selected to receive jump training! Me, of all the nurses, medics, doctors they have in the army, they chose ME! _ I could barely contain myself. Leaving the Headquarters, I headed back to the house.

"I can't believe that you're leaving! We have only just gotten back and they are sending you away again!" Sophia and Jenny both voiced their dislike at this idea. "And why is it that you have been picked to have jump training and we didn't?" I knew that something had changed within Sophia. She had been affected pretty badly by what she had seen. She just wasn't the same anymore. The spark and ferociousness she once had before we left for France was gone. It fuelled my anger towards the Germans and the whole entire war. I was angry because it would kill and maim the nicest and sweetest of guys and how it had left one of my best friends scared to even sleep because of the nightmares that haunted her dreams. I hugged both my friends and ensuring them that I would keep my promise and write as frequently as possible. Billy had come to see me off. I hugged Billy longer then I would have normally, but he had stayed with me in the church and I knew that we were okay again.

"You do us proud kid. No taking BS of them Five O Deuces!" I laughed. The 502nd were based at Chilton and whilst I wouldn't necessarily be mixing with the men, their officers were training the 'non infantry types'. "I'll be alright Billy! Besides I survived growing up with you around didn't I?" I laughed as he scowled at me. I was glad that it was only Billy who had came to say goodbye. I wasn't in the mood for big goodbyes, besides I was going to come back. _Well I hope that I'm coming back. It would just be my frigging luck to die on my first jump! _I could see the headlines as they scrapped whatever was left of me off the DZ. _First female parachutist dies on training jump! _ Climbing into the jeep, I headed off for Jump School and with an interview with an old acquaintance.

_**So, what do you think? Go on you know you want to tell me :) **_


	28. Chapter 27

**_As I feel horrendously guilty for not updating sooner, I thought it best to feed your imagination with a little more Betty :)_**

**_Enjoy xx_**

Jump School was not what I had thought it was going to be. It was intense and challenging. The physical training was hard, but I was thankful for the training session with the Company both before and after Normandy. The Commanding Officer was non other than the infamous Capt. Herbert Sobel, who I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting the first time we were in England. He was still strict and expected the best out of everyone, no matter what rank you wore. I was no exception to this rule and whilst I was thankful for not being segregated, Sobel's little digs at me being there were getting beyond a joke. I now understood completely why, both officer and enlisted alike disliked him immensely. He had no room for change. If someone made one slightest suggestion, if Sobel didn't like it, it was not sanctioned. It was only the letters from the company and the girls that kept me sane and looking towards my goal instead of going mad. I opened up the day's mail starting as normal with a letter from Lewis.

"_Dearest Betty, _

_I hope that you are enjoying your time in the air. I completely understand when you describe it as having the ability to fly! We have many new faces here and some are so young. Good Luck with the rest of your time there and hurry back soon. _

_Lewis."_

Followed by one from the girls:

"_Dearest Betty, _

_Please come home soon. We thought that being away from you when we were in Hell was bad enough, but the very idea that you are so close to me and yet so far away, is just a miserable idea. Sophia and I miss you terribly. The boys are all in good shape (I know that they would not tell you anything!) Please come back to us soon._

_Your beloved sisters _

_Jennifer and Sophia. _

And before I closed my eyes, a letter from my beloved Joe:

"My Beautiful Elizabeth,

I hope that you are doing okay there. I know exactly what you mean when you say it's breathtaking when you learn to fly! Although if you don't watch yourself the ground will bite you hard! I hope you come back soon. I miss you more than I thought possible.

Ahava

Your Joseph.

The weeks slowly passed by, each one a step closer towards being back with the Company. Before I could grow used to hearing Captain Sobel shout from his command box that one of us was destined to break out legs, I was packing my belongings the Thursday before I was due to leave. I was so excited that day, so happy that everything had gone smoothly, that was until the evening. The officers that were there, all had attended dinner together in the mess as normal. However as we would be presented with our wings the following day, a small impromptu party evolved.

"Surely Elizabeth, you can tell me that you actually enjoy working with the Airborne. Surely running your own ward at a field hospital would suite you well." The officer making the assumption was Capt David Jeffries, from the U.S Army Medical Corps. Whilst he was a genius in the medical profession, he was completely blinked in all other areas of the Army. "No Sir, I do not believe I would. Working with the Airborne is both exciting and rewarding in itself. To be presented with my jump wings is an honour and a privilege. The boys from the 506th are the best at what they do and Easy Company, I have to say is the best company in the Battalion, but forgive me I am a little biased!" The other officers laughed.

They all had learnt that, as much as I was a lady and behaved in the appropriate manner at the appropriate time, I was also Airborne and could not be dissuaded from the idea. Bidding the gentlemen a good evening, I headed for bed after all the following day was presentation day. I was changed and ready for bed, just packing the last of the essentials I had kept out.

Brushing my hair through one last time, I was hit with the sharpest and mind numbing pain. I had felt it once before, when I had been in the supply closet in the hospital in England before I had left for France. Dropping to my knees, I clutched my head. Knowing what was happening didn't make the pain any easier. Memories coursed through my brain. Images flashed past my eyelids, like pictures of cine-film being sped through too quickly. The emotions that came with them made me happy and then scream and sob. I didn't know why. The memories were in a jumble and I had no clear understanding as to why they were relevant. I felt the slightest of touches on my shoulder. The Angel was there, watching over me, making sure that I was okay from the download. "Sleep Cherie, Sleep. Everything will become clear in time." His voice whispered round my head. Picking myself up from the floor, I splashed water on my face. I looked as though I had cried the day away. Tired and exhausted from the assault on my brain, I collapsed into bed.

The memories sorted themselves out and played like a small movie in my brain as I slept. I could see the party lights wrapped around the tree, the faint voices of my parents and family laughing with friends. I was outside in the garden, sitting up high in the tree house. I knew I was safe and that I was in good company. I lay there watching the stars twinkle in the moonlight. I didn't want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. The memories changed and I felt heartbroken. I was standing in the kitchen of familiar house, the young woman in front of me smiling brightly, showing off her engagement hand. "It's so beautiful" my voice floated around the room. The ring on her finger shone in the afternoon sun. My face was smiling, but my heart was breaking. Everything I had felt before twisted and turned within me. My eyes were sting with tears, but I wasn't going to give in. Everything that I had felt whilst I was in Aldbourne; the first time was now falling into place. I knew there had to have been a reason for his behaviour and for mine and finally I had my answer. Waking with a start, I waited for edges of the dream to fade, but it didn't. They remained lingering inside my head. Feeling all the emotions, the betrayal and guilt, I could do nothing but cry.

The whole class was formed up and waiting the CO to present the senior officer and the Padre that would give thanks for our training and how that we were now equipped to help complete God's work in fighting the evil that ravaged Europe. The presenting officer was an Army Colonel who was visiting the area. He was shaking hands with everyone and wishing them well with their unit's future missions. I was the last person on the back rank. Standing tall, my shoulders out and my chin that little bit higher than normal, I was like a puffed up peacock, proud of myself for completing the course. The Colonel greeted me just like the others. "Congratulations Lieutenant." He pinned on my jump wings. I saluted and then he shook my hand. There I was a medic, a female one at that and I had jump wings. Sobel eyed me over with an air of distaste. He hadn't liked me from the moment I had arrived. I was from Easy which was enough of a reason. Standing on the rostrum, the Colonel expressed his honour at presenting our wings and said that we were all credits to our units as we had been selected, progressed and accomplished the training.

Leaving Chilton Foliate, I settled in for the journey back to Aldbourne. I was glad that I was leaving, not only to escape Sobel, but also the place where I had had the disturbing of downloads to date. The download I had received about memories previous to the war had been a necessity and I had been prepared for them. But what I had received on Thursday evening had shaken me somewhat. No one would have guessed it on the parade. That had been my time and I was determined not to let anything get in my way. I was bursting to tell the guys that I had passed, to prove to the doubters that I can pass whatever it is you put in front of me. I had once again succumbed to the humming and gentle rumble of the engine and drifted off to sleep. It was the first time in a few months that I had not seen the faces of the people I had grown accustomed to seeing, but instead I dreamt of home and the familiarity and safety it provided.

I woke up to the familiar sight of Company Headquarters and Lewis Nixon was stood there with a smile on his face and a cigarette perched precariously in his lips.

"Well it's about time you got back! No one has attended morning sick parade for the last two weeks since they had put that crazy wacko from Able Company on duty!" I couldn't help but laugh. Able Company's chief medic was a little more partial to the Whiskey than Lewis. Leaving the driver to sort out the luggage and deal with the vehicle, I headed inside with Lewis to Officer's mess. It was nice to walk through the old country house and see everyone heading about their business. It wasn't long before I had seen all the officers from Easy as well as being introduced to the new ones.

Lewis had insisted on walking with me to the barn that had been adopted as the Junior Ranks mess. He was unusually quiet for some reason. There was something that was brewing but with being away for the best part of a month, I had no idea what was wrong.


	29. Chapter 28 Part 1

_**Hello my lovely readers, thank you so much for the reviews that a couple of you have been so kind to send me :) I know a lot of you have been asking for me Joe action...well here is the next chapter! Now this one is pretty big hence why I've had to chop it into Part 1 & 2! There's a little bit of Joe in there as well as some Bill. Hopefully it will answer some of the questions that you have been asking me! **_

_**Please enjoy...and remember, let me know what you think. **_

By the looks of the remains, the men had enjoyed a barbecue. The charcoal ashes smouldered still as they all sat and chatted away. Smokey Gordon, who was on crutches, was begging for the audiences' attention. I shook hands with the other officers, as I took my seat. Harry Welsh flashed his smile back at me when he spotted my wings. "Good for you Betty. Glad that we can take you with us now. We wouldn't want to leave our girl behind!" Both Harry and Buck had been promoted to First Lieutenant, with Harry taking up the position of Company XO to Dick and Buck taking command of second platoon. Leaving the officers to chat among themselves, I listened in on what Smokey had to say to the company.

"The night was filled with dark and cold,  
When Sergeant Talbert the story is told,  
Pulled on his poncho and headed out,  
To check the lines dressed like a Kraut,

Upon a trooper our hero came,  
Fast asleep he called his name,  
"Smith! O Smith! Get up it's time,  
To take your turn out on the line!"

And Private Smith so very weary  
Cracked an eye, all red and bleary,  
Grabbed his rifle he did not tarry,  
Hearing Floyd but seeing Jerry,

"It's me", cried Tab, "Don't do it" and yet  
Smith charged tout suite, with bayonet  
He lunged and thrust both high and low,  
And skewered the boy from Kokomo

And as they carried him away  
Our punctured hero was heard to say,  
"When in this war you venture out,  
Best never do it dressed as a Kraut."

Whilst it received a rapturous applause and many a pat on the back for Talbert, who was to receive one of Smokey's Purple Hearts, Nixon finally broken his silence and divulged what had been bothering him. "The CO has cancelled all leave passes. We are heading back to Europe." My stomach dropped. I had been back with the Company less than a day and already we were preparing to leave. Whispering the information down to Lipton, who was now acting as the Company's unofficial First Sergeant, it was his job to inform the company.

"A couple of announcements to make men," I felt so sorry for Carwood. As nice as it was that he had been recommended for Company First Sergeant, it also meant he had to be the bearer of bad news. "First, the training exercise that was scheduled for 2200 hours this evening has been cancelled," which instantly brought a cheer from the men. Then it was time for the bad news.

"Secondly, all passes are hereby revoked. We are heading back to France, so pack up all your gear. We will not be returning to England boys. Anyone one who has not made a will, head to the supply office. The trucks will depart from Membury at 0700. As you were." The atmosphere was suddenly as sombre as a funeral wake. The D-Day veterans were already planning what training they would have to do with the replacements and the replacements were worrying about what the D-Day vet would expect of them.

"Before you head back to the cottage Betty, the Colonel would like a word." While nothing sprang to my mind for me to worry about, the fact it had to be something important for the Regimental CO to want to see me made me worry.

Dick and Lewis both accompanied me up to the house, neither of them answering my questions which made my irrational fear worse. "Oh come on guys, just tell me what the hell is going on!" So many things were spinning round my head. Had the Colonel found out about me and Joe? Had any of my brothers been hurt? Or the girls? I had no idea." Entering the office, I placed myself in front of Sink's desk. Snapping to attention, I saluted and waited for whatever it was he needed me for. I had clocked Lt. Col Strayer in the corner, along with his aide. _What the fuck is going on?_

"Ah, Lieutenant, nice to have you back in the Company." _This is either a funny bollocking or he has some bad news to tell me and he doesn't know how to break it._ "Thank you very much Sir, it is nice to be home." I looked at Sink and then at my Commander and then at my two supposed friends, who were standing so quietly at the back of the office. "I do believe congratulations are in order," Sink said as he walked out from behind his desk.

Waving his hand at me, I relaxed from attention. "It's not every day that you can turn around as the Regimental CO and say that your regiment is making history, is it Lieutenant?" _Ok Bob, I have no idea what you are talking about. If you are going to fire me, please just get it over and done with!_ "Sir?" Walking up to me, so that I was close enough to smell the bruteness of his aftershave, Sink started tugging at my collar.

"Making history, Lieutenant. Not only are you the only female combat nurse in United States Army history to be selected for jump training, but you are also the only female in United States Army history to complete it successfully. And after some discussion with your superiors, both within the Company and Medical, it has been unanimously decided to promote you to 1st Lieutenant."

It took a couple of seconds for it to register what was happening, but once Lewis had put a whiskey in my hand and everyone was patting me on the back and telling me I had done them proud, I couldn't contain my smiles. After a short time, and a few stories later, it was clear it had turned to be a men's meeting so I excused myself and headed back to the cottage. I was still amazed at the fact I had been promoted. Never once had it been mentioned that a Combat Nurse could or would be promoted. We had all assumed that we would forever stay at 2nd Lieutenant.

I started to pack things away that I knew I wouldn't need, with the honest intention taking them to the sorting office, so they could be posted back to the states. There was no point in leaving it in the cottage, as like Lipton said, we would not be returning to England. The company had already been put on alert for a jump over France earlier that month and thankfully it had been cancelled.

Some of the boys were blasé about the idea, saying that they weren't going to jump and that they would be back in the barracks by the end of the week. This time the target was Belgium and the Maginot Line. We were still sat in the marshalling area after four days with no sign of movement. Eventually it was scrapped and we were sent back to Aldbourne.

With all the moving around and the preparations for the jumps that never happened, Joe and I had spent little time together since we had gotten back from Europe in the July. We had only managed to see each other during the working hours, when he and a few of the guys had been tasked to help the medical centre pack all the spares for the field hospital permanently stationed in France.

We had even missed each other at the promotion drinks that had been held when the signals had been released from HQ. I had had a smile on my face the entire time, beaming with pride for each guy who went up to receive with stripe. Bill and Talbert had both been promoted to Platoon Sgt. Talbert had taken over from Carwood after his promotion was made substansive and he moved to Company HQ. Bill became 2nd Platoon's Staff Sergeant. A lot of the guys who had been in Normandy filled to the promotions. Bull, Malarkey, Muck and Mike Ranney (for the second time) were just a few of the men who had been promoted to Sergeant. Smokey Gordon, John Plesha and Shifty Powers had all been promoted to Corporal.

If Joe and I wanted any time together, we had to steal it. The odd hug here or the quick kiss there, it was no way to have a relationship, but it was the best that we could do. I had been in the medical store, boxing all the bandages and plasma bags up for the company medics to have when we got back to Europe. I turned around when I heard the door shut, to be greeted with the mischievous smile that I adored so very much!

It was then that it hit me how much I had missed him. Before I could think about putting down my paperwork, Joe had me in his arms. "I have missed you." He breathed into my ears. I could have stayed there for eternity. The sanctity of his arms was enough for me want to run away and never look.

"I have missed you too." We broke apart when we hear voices heading down the corridor. I tried to look busy and commanding as I had only recently been promoted. "Thank you Corporal Liebgott. You and your men can retire now. I know that some of the men are heading to the bar tonight, so you can head off early."

Joe's eyes became dark as though the suggestion had annoyed him. "Thank you Lieutenant, but some of us have duties showing the replacements around the village and to their stations this evening. I am the fortunate soul who is on babysitting duties. If you would like to get me out of it, please be my guest. I have had enough of these CROWs." I too was now as annoyed as he was.

Our plan for the evening had been that Joe and I were going to show our faces at the bar; mingle and then individually head back to the cottage. The girls had kindly agreed to sleep in the sick bay so we could spend some time together. With Joe now on duty, that plan had gone out the window.

"Who put you on duty Lieb?" Shifty Powers, the company's sharp shooter enquired as he handed me the signed paperwork from the driver who had been tasked with taking the supplies to the port. "Cobb ducked out of it, saying that he had other things to sort out, so schmuck here was stood in the wrong place at the wrong time and I get lumped with the replacements again. That's the second time in a week I have had to sort them out."

Whilst it didn't seem to be much of a duty showing them round, getting all the relevant paperwork signed, dump their kit in the barracks and heading to the pub, the on duty soldier would have to be sober and at a moments notice in case anything went wrong. Plus they had to put up with all the questions.

"Well, I can cover for you if you want Lieb. I haven't met any of the new guys yet and besides I'm not a massive drinker anyway. You go and enjoy yourself." Liebgott's face lit up like a light bulb. "You sure Shifty? Really man, you are a great guy." I dismissed the guys. Joe winked as he left the room, letting me know that our original plan was back on. Shifty hung back, nodding at my collar, he smiled. "Congratulations Lieutenant. I think them bars look mighty fine." I blushed ever so slightly. "Thankyou Shifty, it was such a surprise."

He nodded and went to catch up with Joe. I sank into the nearest chair. I was exhausted. My head had been bombarded with new memories and my emotions were more confused than a teenager's. I found myself on the verge of tears for no reason. I had begun to dream of my time in Pearl and Africa. I missed the faces of my 'dream' family, those who I would see when I slept.

Tidying up and locking the store, I headed down to the officer's mess for a coffee. _Something a little stronger wouldn't go amiss if the mess manager doesn't catch me! _ Sneaking behind the bar, I tiptoed towards the bourbon cabinet. _Christ alive you are twenty three years old and you are creeping around like a child trying to get to the cookie jar!_ Reaching for a glass, I heard the door go behind me. Bracing myself for the sharp tones of Mr. Fordham, instead the voice asked me to pour him one as well.

"You're drinking during the day Betty? It's either a sneaky celebratory drink, or there's something wrong." Buck Compton, Second platoon's Lieutenant stood on the other side of the bar. "Oh, well, it's a small celebration and I have the nastiest darn headache Buck and I just can't shift it!" I threw me a look that screamed "You're a liar and a bad one at it!" "Yeah alright then kid, I believe you but the masses won't!" I slid him a measure and then poured my own.

"So why don't you tell me the real reason why you are pouring yourself a measure that would make Nixon proud of you?" I looked down at the light brown liquid. He obviously hadn't bought my celebration lie.

"I just…." How did you tell someone that you are having memories implanted in your brain of someone that is technically imaginary and all of this is more than likely a figment of your comatose brain!

"I got a letter from home," It was the easiest way to explain what had been downloaded into my brain. "My best friend is getting engaged to a guy who I foolishly burned a candle for! Crazy huh!" Buck's big puppy dog eyes looked up at me. If I had held his gaze any longer, I would have burst into tears! "Oh Betty, I'm sorry to hear that girl. Well he ain't worth the energy doll. You're airborne now, you have your wings to prove that fact and a promotion…what's he? Some stupid pencil leg?" I bowed my head, not as a sign of confirmation but to stop Buck from see my eyes well up.

"Now you just listen to me. He ain't worth his salt if he let a fine lady like you walk away from him. Dam if the fates had dealt me a different hand, I would be sure as happy to take you home to my ma. Fine woman you are Elizabeth, don't let any man tell you different!" I smiled at him. His words were kind and gentle. "Thanks Buck. That means a lot." I drained my glass and placed the pair in the small basin behind the bar. "Are you coming to the pub tonight?" The men had found sanctuary in the Blue Boar, especially with missions being cancelled left right and centre. "More than likely, I have a few errands to run first." Bidding Buck goodbye, I headed back towards the village. Now that Joe was off duty I had a reason to try out the new lipstick my mother had sent me months ago.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	30. Chapter 28 Part 2

**_Hopefully this chapter is juicy enough for you to really sink your teeth into. _**

**_AN: So today is D-DAY...rather ironic that I am writing a fan fiction that is based on/around the actions of men who lived thought the first, but if it hadn't been for the heroics (I know they don't like that word) of the men like Bill, Joe Toye, Joe Liebgott, Dick Winters we would all live in a world very very different from the one we all know now._**

**_May your souls rest in peace, you maybe gone but never ever forgotten. Amen x_**

**_Enjoy x_**

"Come on! One game Buck!" The lads were trying to entice Buck in for a game of darts. _Big mistake!"_ I thought. The bar was full; everyone from Easy was in or would be heading in later that night. After yet another scrubbed mission, the lads weren't taking the chance on missing out on valuable drinking time.

"Hey Betty, you made it!" Buck nodded in my direction. Taking a seat and waiting for the others to join me, I sat there and people watched. These boys, these men, were my family. It would have broken my heart if I had not returned in time for their jump. The difference between the replacements and 'us' vets, was as big as the Niagara Falls. They sat huddled together away from anyone else, but yet they were watching in awe.

Some of the boys were playing cards and the others were drinking and just generally being soldiers having a good time. Bill gave me a wink as he was joining in the crowd huddled around the darts board. He had been keeping a 'protective' eye on me, more than normal and it was being to make me suspicious of his motives. He had never said anything or asked any forward questions, but he just always seemed in the background.

It had been ever since I had returned back from Chiltern Foliate. He was there when I had left the officers mess after my promotion drinks and when Lewis had been helping me back to the cottage. I had been fine inside, but the chill of the air had hit me and so did the whiskey. So say that I thought I was dying the next morning had been the understatement of the war.

Wandering over, he had a young blonde lad with him. Edward Heffron or Babe as he was known to the lads was a bit of a looker was and apparently from the stories I heard a very good dancer too. He was a Philadelphian like Bill and I. He was a Front Street kid, whilst we were 16th street. He knew a lot of the people that we knew. Especially Crazy Joe!

"Those wings look mighty fine on you Ma'am." Eugene Roe, the company medic and my counterpart whilst in Normandy commented as he walked past the table. "Thank you very much Roe. It does feel nice to be the same as the rest of the company, so to speak. I don't know what I'd done if y'all had jumped without me." Tonight had been the first time I had been able to wear my dress uniform and 'show off' my newly acquired qualification. Roe moved on, as Malarkey and Liebgott sat themselves down. "I can't believe that Shifty offered to cover your duty." Malarkey was hassling Joe over the swap. "Hey he offered. It's not like I went asking. Besides, I had to show the last lot of replacements around."

Malarkey waved him off. "I'm getting a beer; do you want one or what?" The others lads had mingled in with the games. Joe Toye was at the darts board with George, Buck and Babe. Babe wasn't a bad shot against Buck, who was throwing with his left hand instead of his right. They had even put a wager of who could hit the bull's eye first. While Buck and George were cheating Toye and Babe out of a packet of cigarettes each, Johnny Martin, Bull and Bill were in their own special way making the replacements feel welcome.

"I don't care if it's fucking Eisenhower's!" I smiled into my drink. Bill tried so hard to appear scarier in front of the replacements. "Who are you?" He gestured towards the nearest guy. "Private Miller, James Miller. I'm in Sgt Randleman's squad." He looked so nervous. Bill nodded at the others. Les Hashey and Tony Garcia introduced themselves.

"I know who ya are. Old Gonorrhoea don't miss nothing." I wandered over to the table. The boys all stood up when they saw my bar. Bill had started to tell them the "Babe and Dorris" story. If anyone could retell a story and have you laughing every time, it was Bill!

My appearance had interrupted his story telling. I waved at the boys to sit down. Bill just held out his hand, his protectiveness was starting to make me suspicious. "Please boys, sit down, you'll make the place look untidy!" Bill sniggered as did Bull and Johnny who were behind us. I slapped his shoulder, "Just because I have known you ma whole life Bill Guarnere, don't mean you can laugh at me!" He pretended to look hurt. The boys were unsure of what to say and how to react. _Bless them. They have no idea what they are getting themselves into! _

"So," I said, breaking the ice. "My name is Lt. Reedman, but y'all can call me Betty!" They just stared at me. "Gee the way they stare at you Betty, makes you think they ain't never seen a girl before!" Bill laughed. Miller was looking sheepishly into his pint. "Hey Betty, you think I could finish telling ma story?" I smiled and gestured for him to continue. "So Heffron not tell you about Doris yet?" The boys looked utterly confused! I got up and stood with Bull and Martin.

The story was that Babe had fallen quiet hard for a British girl named Doris, who had decided that her feelings weren't as strong as Babe's and had written him a "Dear John" letter. Whilst he had told the rest of the lads that he was okay, I could see it in his eyes that he was disappointed. As normal, Bill changed to tone of the conversation, "Lucky for Babe, Patton overruns our drop zone; mission cancelled, in other words, Babe doesn't have to risk getting in old Doris again." I smiled.

Whilst Babe wasn't a Toccoa man, he wasn't treated like a replacement either. Bill saw to that. The guys were chatting away, having a laugh at each other's expense, which the 'new guys' weren't allowed to join in on. Bill got serious with them, "You, new boys, you pay attention to Sgt Randleman, got dat? Dat's the smartest man in the company." With that Bill got up and left, which left the door wide open for Cobb to have a go at Miller.

"Where did you get that?" I could see where this was heading. Miller looked around for emotional support before he answered. "It's a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation," He paused before he added the crux of the confrontation. "For what the Regiment did in Normandy." I had been waiting for something like this. I knew it would only have been a matter of time, before one of the veterans get testy about the replacements. "That's right. For what the unit did. You weren't there."

Hoobler stepped in and tried to calm him down. "Hey, hey. Ease up Cobb. It's a unit citation." Cobb stared Miller down. The poor lad looked so forlorn. I rose from my seat beside Bill, who was glaring at Cobb. As I walked pas Bull, I caught his attention. I knew that if I had said something to Cobb, it wouldn't have been pretty or lady like. _Best thing to do is let the boys deal with it._ "Bull, do you think you could me a favour?" He looked at me and then over my shoulder.

"Sure Lt. What d'ya need?" His half chewed cigar hung out the corner of his mouth. "You have a word with Cobb? He seems to think that some of the new guys don't serve the citation." Bull watched Miller, a member of his squad remove the badge. With his head down and not wanting any more confrontation, Miller walked out the bar. Bull picked up the badge. "Shit Cobb. You didn't fight in Normandy neither." Cobb backed off, trying to give his excuse to anyone who would listen.

There was just something about that bloke that annoyed me. He had more experience than the rest of the men, yet he liked to ride the replacements. Looking at my watch, I headed to the bar. Joe was deep in conversation with Dukeman and Shifty, who had escorted in the new replacements. Bill had been watching them come in and had even mentioned to Bull as to why it was Shifty bringing them.

Asking for a large whiskey, I wandered around, mingling with the new enlisted men as well as a few of the officers. The news that there were Combat nurses now working alongside the infantry had received mixed reviews back home. I was killing time, engaging in small talk, asking how a couple of the recently returned guys where, asking about the ones still in the hospital. Grabbing my coat and purse from the bar, I went to finish off my drink, but Smokey Gordon grabbed everyone's attention first.

"Hey y'all listen up, I gotta us an announcement to make." Smokey stood on a bar chair, grabbing Lipton's shoulders, who looked ever so embarrassed that everyone in the bar was no looking at him. "This here is Carwood Lipton," "He's already married Smokey!" Malarkey earned a few laughs. Smokey ignored the comment and carried on. "This here is Carwood Lipton, the new Easy Company's First Sergeant." The applause was loud and welcoming. Carwood thoroughly deserved the promotion and would be a good replacement for James Diel who had received a battlefield commission to 2nd Lieutenant.

"As befitting his position, he says he has an announcement." His face changed and his eyes became sad, as though the message that he had to deliver was something that he didn't want to say. "Hate to break the mood here boys, but we're moving out again." Silence fell over us all. No one was laughing anymore. There had been a feeling amongst the men, that the next mission we were sent one would be 'the one'.

Downing my drink, I shrugged on my coat, even though Joe was in the middle of a conversation, I tried to make it as obvious as I could that I was leaving. I only had to wait minutes before he would join me at the house.

I opened the front door. The girls were at the duty bunk or out with members of their own company. I didn't have time to get my shoes off before Joe was there, his hands cupping my face. I wanted him so badly. Our hands were fighting with each other's clothing, buttons not undoing or zippers sticking. Kicking my shoes off, his hands were groping at my stockings. I knew he had put a hole in them, but I didn't care. Chasing each other up the stairs, each of us was becoming desperate. Even though we had spent time together since I had returned, we had never been alone.

He backed me up against the wardrobe. With his hands on either side of my butt, he lifted me up, my legs wrapping round him. We were too lost in the moment to realise there was someone stood in the doorway.

"What the fuck!" I jumped down from where I was perched. _Shit…this is all I need._ I was shocked, upset, worried and scared all at the same time. Why the hell was he there? Why had he followed us? I looked at Joe who aside from sorting his trousers out, looked hurt but understood that I had to go after him.

Whispering I was sorry, I kissed him and left. Leaving my stockings on the bedroom floor, along with my modesty and dignity, I chased him through to the other side of the village and down towards the dinner hall.

He was pacing backwards and forwards, his hat thrown on the floor like a child having a tantrum.

"Bill!" I shouted. I could hear him muttering to himself. "What the hell were you thinking?" He shouted at me.

"What hell was *I* thinking? What the hell you were doing standing in the doorway of my bedroom?" I was exhausted.

"How could you Betty? You're an officer for Christ' sake!" I didn't know why he cared so much.

"So what Bill? If the roles were reversed you would have said no?" He looked at me. He knew that the question was a double edged sword. His eyes were full of hurt and something that almost looked like jealously. The memories I had received at Chiltern Foliate were banging against the front of my brain.

"That's different. We are different!" He replied. Those words were enough...I exploded. Every muscle and fibre in me wanted to throttle the man before me.

"How is it different Bill? Huh? I know it's different than last time, cos I'm not juiced up on my dad's whiskey and you ain't running off to join the Army." I was crying so hard I could barely see him. I hadn't noticed that Joe had come in behind me. I launched into another attack.

"You took it. My best friend! And you took me and then left!" Bill tried to back away from what I was saying. "I told you I loved you. I said it out loud for the first time. My, no, OUR mothers, thought they had it all figured out. We would get married and have little Bill and Betty's. But you had me and then left." He tried to open his mouth, but I silenced him. "You didn't have the courage to tell me that you had asked to marry Frannie!" I was shaking so much I thought I was going to collapse. "I lost you twice, all in the space of a week. I lost you twice Bill, once to the Army and once to her!" He tried to reach out to me, but I recoiled.

"I love him Bill." There it was, out loud for the whole world to hear! "so don't you dare try and take that from me! I can't pick and choose who I fall in love with. Not like you!" For the first time in months, I felt the difference just like I had when I first "arrived".

There was 'Claire' the modern 2012 soldier who was seething, wanting to make him pay for his arrogance and jealousy. But she was accompanied by a 22 year old who for years had been carrying a torch for someone else, who right now was judging her.

"Joe has been there for me more than you ever will!" I knew deep in my heart that wasn't entirely accurate, but I wanted to hurt him and I didn't know what else to say. Bill looked past me to see Joe standing in the back ground. All I could do was run to him. I had admitted my feelings honestly and truthfully. "I love you too." He whispered. All I could do was cry. The emotions from the memories and the flash backs were at the surface and as much as it hurt and made me want to curl up and forget the world, but I knew that I couldn't. Bill hadn't finished there.

"You could have picked someone, anyone better Betty! I mean he's enlisted. You're a god dam Officer! You could have picked Nixon or even Winters! But no you pick an enlisted! Who do you think they will send home when they find out?" I could feel Joe's body tense up behind me. Holding him close, trying to tell him that I would deal with it, I walked towards Bill.

"I mean it's not like you could take him home to meet Ma and Pa now is it?" He was clutching at straws, trying to keep the fight going so he could have the last word. It was below the belt and he knew it. I slapped his face as hard I could. I was livid beyond the highest of heavens.

"My father's beliefs and views have nothing to do with you William Guarnere. I would rather take home someone who is non-Catholic, than someone who mutinied against his own CO." The venom dripped from my voice. _Touché mon amie. _I walked back towards Joe who just stood there watching everything.

"I'm sorry!" I collapsed in his arms. The possibility that my whole life was now in ruins was even more of a reality than ever. Bill knew about us which only meant it would be hours if not minutes before Toye knew and whilst it could stay between the guys for so long, it would only be a matter of time before Dick and Lewis found out. I stayed in Joe's arms, wrapped up in their safety.

I could go to Bill and say I was sorry and that I didn't mean everything I had said to him, and whilst I hadn't meant most of it, I wanted him to think I was angry. He had no right acting this way. But I was scared…would he sell me out? Would he be so shallow in reporting the pair of us? Bill was just pacing backwards and forwards. Sitting me on a chair, Joe headed over to try and speak to Bill. I knew before Joe had even opened his mouth that it wasn't going to a happy ending.

"Bill, I didn't know that something was between you and Betty." I was angry that he was almost on the verge of apologising for something he hadn't done. Bill was clenching his fists; I knew he was breaking point.

"You should have known better! She's family. There are two people a man doesn't touch. A man's wife or his sister! She may not be blood, but she's close enough." Joe tried to explain, but before he could do anything Bill hit him square in the jaw.

"I don't give a fuck Joe!" Before Bill could do anything else, I was there, squaring up in front of him, staring him down. _Okay, this is definitely not 1940's ladies behavior, back down Claire, before you start something you can't finish._ "Bill you ever touch him again. I will see it that you spend the rest of the war in a store depot. Now get the fuck out of my face." He looked at me with wide eyes. It wasn't every day that I cussed like a man, but I was mad. He walked past me not giving either of us a second glance.

I crouched down to tend to Joe who was nursing a fat lip. All I wanted to do was cry. I loved him so much it made me feel sick. "Why did you apologise? You have done nothing wrong! He has…" Joe silenced me. My face streaked with tears. "If I apologise then my conscious is clear and he knows it. He's angry Betty but I don't have a clue why."

Heading back to the cottage, Joe went upstairs to clean himself up. I sat by the fire nursing a more than generous measure of whiskey. My mind was racing. I was angry at Bill (again) for sticking his nose in when it didn't concern him. "So what!" I mumbled under my breath.

Memories of us as children playing in the tree house or sneaking bottles of beer from Pop Guarnere's cellar filled my head. I couldn't move for the memories of him. But the tree house stuck out like a thorn in my finger. It wanted to be remembered.

I had graduated from Nursing School. The download at Chiltern was still as vivid as ever. My parents had thrown a huge party to celebrate. Everyone was there, my brothers, Gabriel, John and Matthew's wives, not to mention my nieces and nephews who were almost my ages, then there were Bill's brothers, who were home on leave and his parents. My mother was a stickler for looking good in front of others and as such had banned me from having "more than a lady should." My father, as well as my brothers, thought it was high time I was allowed to join in.

After the niceties, the meal and speeches, Pa got on the piano and chirped out a few tunes. As the night drew on, the girls who were there danced around the living room. I on the other hand, was sat in the tree house my father had built, with a bottle of whiskey and my best friend. "You know your Ma is gonna kill you if she finds out that you stole your Pa's whiskey." I just laughed. My mother was too busy making new friends to notice the bottle was missing.

"Na, she's far too busy soaking up the lime light! Anyone would think she was the one who had graduated from Nursing school." Bill laughed. We had spent all of our time together before I had left for school and he had got his job at the tank factory. Being back at home felt as though I had never been away.

The memories I had weren't emotionless. I remembered how I felt sitting next to him. I had overheard our mothers talking, saying that now I was in a good job and with Bill exempt from active service because of him making the tanks, it wouldn't be long before we were married. I was nervous, apprehensive almost. I wanted to hell him how I felt. How he was more than just my best friend. But I didn't know how.

I swirled my whiskey around in its glass. My mind wandered, remembering the breeze that threatened to make a hash out of my hair. The way the stars were always visible through the hatch in the roof. Bill was unusually quiet. There was something on his mind. "Betty, I gotta tell you something real important." _This is it_ I thought. Sitting upright, he had my my full attention.

"Sure Bill. What's going on?" My heart was pounding. "Well, you know that the Navy and the Marines knocked me back?" I nodded. Bill had been so disappointed when they had said no. "Well I went to see the Army recruitment guy instead." I frowned. Why was he saying this? Why would he want to leave…leave me?

"So you're gonna join the Army?" Bill looked down at my hands. We both had a tendency of picking our nails when we got nervous. "I'm not just joining the Army Bee, but I'm gonna be in the best unit in the Infantry! I'm gonna be a Paratrooper" I dropped my head. I was scared for him, but just as scared for me, as I was heading out to Hawaii. Trying to hold myself together, I asked him about it.

"So…when do you leave for training?" He mumbled something that sounded a lot like "tomorrow." I felt tears burn my cheeks. _How can I tell him now? How can I tell him that I love him, if he is leaving…if I am leaving!" _ Throwing my arms around his neck, I hung onto him for dear life, not ever wanting to let him go. My self resolve breaking with every second as my tears soaked his shirt.

"Hey! You had better not be getting all weepy on me Reedman!" I wiped my eyes. I didn't want him to leave and yet who was I to judge, I was leaving too, he just didn't know about it. "I'm not!" I protested. Out faces were so close I could smell the whiskey on his breath. "What am I meant to do while you are gone?" He traced the scar across my forehead. "Stay safe and don't get into any trouble with the 16th street kids and I will be back before you know it!" Out of nowhere I kissed him. My heart was hurting and even though I had no idea how he would react, I took the plunge.

My whiskey was glass was empty so I headed back into the kitchen. My head hurt from all the crying and shouting I had done earlier that night. The silence in the cottage had made the memories harder to fight. They had been pushed to the front of my brain and even though I didn't want to relive them, I knew they were a necessary evil.

Pouring one more small measure, I sipped the whiskey and the let the memories back in. He had accepted the kiss and everything else I had suggested that evening. Downing the chaser I placed the glass in the sink and I headed on upstairs. Joe was curled up fast asleep under the covers. I stood there and watched him for a moment.

I loved this man with all of my heart. I would quite gladly give up everything I had to be with him for the rest of my days._ Is this you talking Claire or is it Betty? You can't afford to let the lines blur, you need to stay focused._ The voice at the back of my head reminded me that I was only experiencing this outside my normal consciousness. I hated it all for that very second. Before I could let science-fiction once again play havoc with my head, there was a soft knock at the front door. Heading down stairs, I opened it slightly, to be greeted with the gentle smile of the Company's First Sergeant.

"Lip? What do I owe the pleasure at this hour?" I opened the door and invited him inside. Thankfully Joe had taken everything of his upstairs.

"We have been mobilized again Ma'am. Capt Winters said that we are jumping soon. He requests that you pack everything up. The transport will depart for Membury in a couple of days." All I could do was stand and stare at him. "Erm...right…okay. I erm… Please can you ask him to spare Roe and Spina from any duties they have tomorrow, so they can help me help me shut down the sick bay while we are away." Lipton looked uncomfortable and I had a feeling as to why.

"We aren't coming back are we?" Lipton shook his head. "Capt Winters said that he has it from above, that the 506th will not be returning to England." We bid each other goodnight. Checking on Joe, I headed to the sick bay to inform the girls, only to find they had been told by their officers as well.

"Intelligence says that it could all be over by Christmas! Could you imagine that Betty?" I stared into space. The same feeling of dread and doubt was creeping from the back of my mind. There was something about this mission that just didn't sit right with me.

I headed back to the cottage. Joe was still fast asleep exactly where I had left him. He looked so relaxed. As though in his subconscious he knew he was safe. Undressing and climbing into bed all I could do was stare at the ceiling. We were leaving and this time, we weren't coming back.

_**So...what do you think...go on you know you wanna tell me :) **_


	31. Author's Note Number 2

To all my readers and to those just passing through,

Where to I begin, I thought I had better let you all know that I had not fallen off the face of the earth and that I am still writing In Two Minds. The course that I am on at the moment had taken up a considerable about of time, energy and brain power which left me both mentally and physically drained. But with all my exams out of the way and with being within the final two weeks, I thought I would let you all know I will be updating very soon. I hope that my work hasn't suffered due to the time gap between chapters and please remember your reviews are encouragement to keep me going and keep my muse alive.

Now I don't normally ask for help in such a public forum, however with some ideas that are forming for earlier on in the story, I am going to have to bite the proverbial bullet and ask for help. I'm looking for a native German speaker who can help me with some translations that I would like to put into the story. The only thing that I ask, is that if you do wish to help, you are prompt and reliable as I would like to set the ball rolling on getting a large majority of this story uploaded within the coming month.

If there is anyone who would like to help me in this task please feel free to drop me a PM.

Once again, thank you for your support and your reviews.

Tabitha Caine


	32. Chapter 29

_**Hellooooo! I'm back! I must apologise for not posting for so long. My job can be very demanding at times and well truth be told Betty wandered off for a little while and everything that wrote was rubbish and only worthy of the bin. But do not worry I am back now and will be posting quite a few chapters in the upcoming days! :) Please enjoy and remember...I LOVE to hear what you are thinking about my Betty! **_

The days that followed were busy. Men were packing away their personal belongings, packing away the head-quarters or training for the upcoming mission. In between shutting down the sick bay and sorting my own life out, I ran refresher first aid training for all the medics, especially aimed at the replacements that had come in as medics. Sophia and Jennifer were there to have on hand if some of them got a little lost.

Taking a coffee break, the three of headed to the mess. The new guys were good, just a little green behind the gills.

"Jesus, were we ever that green?" Jenny asked flopping to the nearest arm chair. "You most definitely were! You wouldn't say boo to a goose, let alone bark orders at some junior medic!" Jenny stuck her tongue out. "I still see you don't behave like an officer!" Since our return almost three months ago, Jenny's personality had changed dramatically. She was loud and always looking for the nearest party and drank more than any girl I had ever met, with the exception of Sophia, prior to us leaving for Normandy. "You don't either!" She was having a dig about my relationship with Liebgott. I returned the gesture. Sophia, on the other hand was quiet. Normally the bubbly lively soul of the party was now reserved and quiet. There was sadness in her eyes I had never seen before.

"I don't want to go back." She said. It was what we were all thinking. "Neither do I Soph. I don't think any of us want to do back." But there was a finalisation in her voice.

"Sophia, what aren't you telling us?" She shifted uncomfortably. "Sophia?" I asked a little more commandingly. She got up and started to pace in front of her chair. "I spoke with Lt. Spiers about being transferred out. I can't do this anymore. I'm not going to Europe with you. I'm going home." She spoke so fast he words didn't register until a moment later.

"But you can't! Y'all just gonna leave? You're gonna desert your company?" Jenny's words hung in the air. "I just can't go back Jen. I'm sorry. I can't stand there and watch the men die. I'm not cut out for this." Sophia was sobbing. As much as I loved her as a sister, I resented her for leaving.

"You are a god-dam officer in the United States Army! Dam it Carter. You're a medic, a Combat Nurse and you're gonna just give up? Fine, go home, be safe and live in luxury. We don't need people like you!" Jenny grabbed her cap and left. Sophia dropped into the nearest chair. All her fears and vulnerability was laid out to her closest friends and one of them had just rejected her.

"I'm sorry Betty. I really am. I just can't go back over there!" I felt like shaking her and telling her to get a grip on what was happening in the world, but I would be wasting my breath. She had made up her mind and she was sticking to it. It upset me to think that one of the strongest women I knew, the confident nurse who had helped me get back on my feet after Africa, could be so consumed by fear, it would make her choose to leave her Unit. "I wanted to be like you so much. I wanted to be strong and brave and even get promoted!" Her words were true, but her fear of dying had taken over her, it had consumed her being and there was no way now of saving her.

"I understand." _Did I really? Could I forgive her? Was it my place to? _"I will need you to run the jump medicals between now and the end of the week. I will speak to Capt Ryan about getting a replacement officer." Leaving her to compose herself, I headed back out to the lesson. Thankfully Roe had taken charge as I was late arriving.

With Sophia's resignation in effect and Jennifer's resentment, the atmosphere in the cottage was unbearable. Jenny refused to as much as stand in the same room as Sophia. Whilst my feelings were no where near as strong as Jenny's I made sure I didn't discuss anything relevant to the move in front of her.

Leaving Aldbourne, was like saying good bye to family. It is always harder the second time around. But this time I was with Easy, on the back of the Transport, which was an experience in itself.

"I knew I should have climbed in the jeep!" I moaned as we bumped and bounced our way towards the waiting area.

"You know you would have only missed us if you had!" George Luz piped up from the corner. It had to be said it was true. Whilst I enjoyed the company of officers, I chose to stay with the men.

Membury was the waiting area for all the airborne forces that had been called up. Grabbing my kit, I headed off to find the other medical officers. 2nd Lt. Marcus Gibson from Atlanta had been the junior medical officer for Baker Company. He had been transferred after Sophia had resigned. We had met when the regiment was awaiting transport back to England after Normandy.

"Elizabeth! How was the ride down? I see you are still in one piece!" Marcus was a gentleman's officer. Whilst he used the nicknames of the men, he always used my proper name, rather than its popular alternative. "I feel like I have been shaken from head to foot. My whole body is bruised!" Laughing, we entered the briefing tent. The Regimental Surgeon, Capt Bernard Ryan was a Normandy veteran like so many of us, as well as a recipient of the Silver Star and the Silver Star with Oak Leaf cluster for his actions whilst serving in Normandy.

"1st Lieutenant Reedman nice to see you." Marcus smiled at me. Whilst the news of my promotion had been common knowledge with 2nd battalion, it obviously hadn't filtered out to the rest of the regiment. He nodded at my bars and mouthed "congratulations". "The briefing is due to start in a short while. Then I can brief you both separately with regards to the requirement of your companies."

"Good Morning Sir," we both chorused. I excused myself when the men started discuss the sports news that had been received from home.

Both Lewis and Dick, who were now acting in official capacity as Company CO and Battalion S2, were gathered around what were covered sand tables. They were draped in a black cloth so that they could be shown during the brief and not before. Harry Welsh, Buck Compton and the other new officers of the regiment were milling about.

"Hey Betty! Nice of you to join us! How was it getting bounced around in the back of a truck for a few hours?" He had been waiting a while to take the mickey out of me for my choice in transport.

"It was strangely pleasant thank you Lewis!" I childishly stuck the tip of my tongue out at him. Dick coughed quietly, reminding us, where we were and who we were meant to be. "So any sneak peaks at what this is all about?" Lewis shook his head. Whilst the pair of us could act like children ninety per cent of the time, there was the in frequent ten per cent when we acted like the leading officers we were being paid to be.

"Nothing I can give away at the moment. But it's huge, I can say that!" The feelings of dread came flooding back. I tried to shake them, bury them at the back of my stomach and hope they would dissolve. But they clung to me like a bad penny.

"Hey Betty, you okay?" Harry Welsh, now Easy Company XO, asked as I was staring into space.

"Erm, what? Oh Hi Harry. Yeah I'm fine. Just tired that's all!" I followed him round to the bench at the far side of the tent, were two privates were serving coffee. The smell was slowly permeating the air.

"Can I live here and never head back to that bastard hell hole?" Harry asked as the private stirred two generous helpings of sugar into his black coffee. "This has to definitely be the one thing I miss the most. The coffee in the rations is just awful." As we made the rounds, chatting with other officers and senior NCO's that had were require to be there, it made me realise just how much I missed the girls.

Sophia had been driven to the port in Southampton, to catch the ship that was a heading back to the states. It had been such a sad way to say goodbye. Jenny had staunchly refused to say anything to Sophia until it had come to her getting into the jeep. Jenny broke down in tears and fled down the front steps.

"I hate you for leaving us. But I pray that you are safe and happy back at home." With that she left, never looking back. Whilst I could stand losing the men, to some degree, it broke my heart to finally admit that I would not see Sophia again for a very long time.

Jenny had been called to Sink's office the morning before we left Aldbourne. I had heard whispers from the local nurses that she may have wanted to leave as well, but she said she would have to be carried away in chains before she would leave voluntarily. I was sat in the garden, in a rare moment of free time, soaking in the last smells of an English garden, when Jenny came flying thought the house. Her make up smeared by tears. Heading straight for her bed, I followed moments later with a cup of coffee.

"Jenny? What did Sink have to say?" All I could hear was her sobbing. Creeping round the door, Jenny had buried her face in the pillows. Her answer muffled. As I placed the coffee mug on the bedside table, I knocked two gold bars out of the way.

"Jennifer?" I asked questioningly. She looked up at me. "Sink, the stupid fool, has promoted me! He said that the CO of my Company had recommended me!" Anyone else would have been happy about the promotion; however there was something about this promotion that just didn't sit right.

"He said that I was so good at my blazing job, I have been given my own ward to run at the military hospital in London!" Sitting on the edge of her bed, I had no comforting words. The superiors in her unit had not submitted the paperwork for Jenny to go to Chilton Foliate, which meant that she wasn't jump trained. Whilst I was sure they hadn't done it intentionally, Able Company had no use for a combat nurse that couldn't jump.

"Hey Betty, you still there?" As I zoned back to reality, Harry was waving his hand in front of my face.

"Yea, sorry Harry. I was just thinking about the girls. I miss them both so much." Heading back to the covered sand tables, everyone was ready for Lewis' brief. Settling in, I had a feeling that it was going to be a long morning.

All most an hour later and many cigarettes later, I stood in the fresh air. The doubt and uncertainty that had plagued me earlier had come back in full force. I was worried maybe even scared but of what didn't quite know yet. The memories would follow the feelings. That is what they had done before I left for Normandy. It was surprising that I _actually_ wanted the memories. Having this feeling of uncertainty was awful. My thoughts were interrupted by the smell of expensive aftershave.

"I reckon with the intelligence we have, we could be home by Christmas. Catch the Germans on the back foot, hop over the Rhine, Berlin thank you very much!" Lewis was confident, maybe even a little over confident and no one could blame him. The intelligence looked promising. The only thing was we were under British command. "Say when all this is over, you should come to New York!" I turned to him; he had had a drink today that was for sure. "Maybe Lewis, when all this is over." He patted me on the back and left me to my thoughts.

Billy and I were so apart they could have fitted the state of Philly between us. I was still angry at him for judging me and my relationship with Joey, but secretly thankful he had not said anything to anyone about us.

Following my feet, I found Bull Randelman enjoying the sun before the enlisted men had their brief.

"Bull? You Okay?" He was in the middle of reading a letter. "Oh hello Lt." He folded the letter. In the time we had been back in England, Bull had not only been promoted to Sergeant, but he was now also a squad leader.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your reading. I know how nice it is to get news from home." Picking up his kit belt, we walked back towards the tents.

"It was a letter from my Mother. She was just saying how everything is okay back home. She even mentioned you Lieutenant." I was shocked. "Really?" Bull was a quiet man and didn't really mention his family all that much.

"Yes, I told her that you were back with us. Obviously not telling her where you had been or what you had been doing." I was touched that he would have even thought of mentioning me. Letters home are the only contact to the outside world.

"Thank you Bull." As our walk ended outside the briefing tent, I patted myself down for my cigarettes, but came up empty handed. That was until a hand came out of nowhere with one freshly lit.

"Peace offering?" It was Billy and his puppy dog eyes. He was nervous. We hadn't spoken or should I say, I hadn't spoken a word since the night he had found me and Joe together. I looked at him, really studied his face. Whilst he walked, talked and acted like my best friend, there was something about him that was strange. I was shutting down and even though he hadn't opened his mouth.

"Why should I? You embarrassed me! You caused an argument over something that had nothing to do with you?" I was blunt and to the point. He was the reason me and Joey had gotten together in the first place. Billy didn't know what to do.

"You're the only family I got left Betty. Henry's dead and God knows where or what Ernie is doing. You're the only thing I have from back home." He had a point, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "and well I was acted like an ass. Then and now." I didn't take a rocket scientist to work out what the "then" was for. "I just wanna say I'm sorry." I took the lit cigarette off him. Inhaling the bitter taste of the Lucky Strike, I blew out the smoke slowly. "I loved you Billy Guarnere. I have loved you ma whole life. Ain't nothings gonna change about that! But listen to me and you listen good." I took the bars off my collar, so he would know I was talking to him as Betty not as an officer. "I love Joseph. It's as plain and simple as anything else. Just like you and Frannie. I tell ya Billy, besides you, Pa and all ma brothers, I ain't never loved a man more and it don't matter what religion he is, I am taking him home meet everyone. Now if you have a problem with that, you keep it in the back of your mouth, cos I don't wanna here you yapping!" He was looking down at his boots, like a child does when it's in trouble. "But, I forgive you Billy. I don't have it in ma heart not to, especially with us jumping soon." He looked up at me with the biggest smile. He held his arms out for a hug. I knew it would be inappropriate of me, but the idea of not finishing this before we jumped was unthinkable. "I have to go Betty." Billy mumbled into my hair, the rest of his platoon had started filling into the briefing tent. Breathing in the last drag of the Lucky Strike,, I could feel hands either side of my head. "shit!" I whispered. Like a bolt sent from the heavens, every cell in my brain started to scream in protest. Collapsing to my knees, I was too busy trying to holding my brain together for fear it might explode, than to see half of HQ running out the back of the tent.

The headlines, pictures and voices telling me what my gut had been saying all along. This mission was bad. With the knowledge I had from the officer's brief, combined with the flashbacks, I had the clearest view of the next two months. And then the pain was gone, just as quickly as it had arrived. With one hand on my head and the other supporting me from collapsing on the ground, tears escaped my eyes. "We are doomed" I sobbed. Nixon's voice floated round my head. "Betty? Betty? Lt. Reedman!" I shook my head; I looked up to see the concerned eyes of Nixon and the worried face of my commanding officer.

"What the hell was that?" Nixon's voice was thick with concern. I had to think on my feet. "I get migraines when I'm nervous." Nixon looked at me with challenging eyes. Wanting to get away from them, I got up from the ground.

"Lt. Reedman, I think it best that you head to the medical tent." I was starting to flap._ You fucking retard!_ _Migraines weren't conducive to being a paratrooper. _I looked up at Dick."I'm fine sir, honestly. It's the first one I have had in years." Dick was suspicious, but didn't have the time to push it further. "If you are positive you feel okay, then you can join us in the briefing tent." Dick headed back into the tent whilst Nixon insisted on staying with me.

"You scared me half to death!" I laughed. Nixon had a tendency of worrying about me. "Honestly Lew, I didn't realise that you cared that much!" I joked as we entered the tent. All of Easy's men were seated, waiting for the final brief on what is to be expected of them.

"This is Operation Market Garden and in terms of airborne division, this one is bigger than Normandy." It was exactly the same brief that the officers had received.

Standing at the front, I looked over the boys. The D-Day vets listening intently, smoking and making notes. The replacements complete in awe of what was happening. The briefing lasted just over an hour. The boys were restless. As we were all 'fenced in' there would be no trips to the bar.

"We are dropping deep into occupied Holland. The Allied objective is to take this road here between Eindhoven and Arnhem so that the British Armoured Divisions can move up in towards Arnhem." The boys watched Dick as he moved around the maps and the sand tables. For some of us, this would be our second deployment, for others it was their first.

"Our job is to liberate Eindhoven, Stay there and wait for the tanks." Now it was Nixon's turn. As Battalion S2 or Intelligence officer, he could provide a little more information on what was required of the regiment.

"The entire European advance has been put on hold to allocate resources for this operation. Its Montgomery's personal plan, so we'll be under British Command." This was not what the boys wanted to hear. The British were known for their lack of urgency shall we say and it didn't sit well with us. Nixon had to brighten up the mood with something. "Good news is, if this works, these tanks'll be over the Rhine and into Germany. That could end the war and get us home by Christmas." Whilst it sounded good to the guys and the intelligence about the old men and young boys gave them a sliver of hope, I knew it was too good to be true and it just wasn't going to work out like that. "And say goodbye to England, cos I don't think they are going to call this one off." There it was. We were leaving and not coming back. Now it was my turn. _Pull yourself together woman. _"I would like to hand over to Lt. Reedman for a few medical notes that squad members alike should take on board." Taking the notes from my pocket, I was trying to prevent the horrors of Normandy, but I knew as much as I tried it wouldn't help.

"Gents, a couple of parish notices. All platoon leaders are required to send one member to the medical tent to collect extra supplies. Everyone from here on in is everyone is to carry extra bandages. I am currently in the process of arguing for more morphine, but that may have to stay at one per man." I flipped the notes over. "The following men are to see me at the medical tent after this brief. Stephenson, Miller, Capt Winters, Ssgt Guarnere, Cpl Liebgott." They had all been injured whilst in Normandy and the Surgeon wanted to make sure that they were okay. Billy and Joey, I wanted to see for other reasons. Dismissing the company, with permission of Capt Winters, I headed to the medical tent. Dick walked in seconds after me.

"And why would you need to see me?" His red hair sparkled in the sun, which complemented his blue eyes. "Surgeon's orders, I'm afraid. All those who were injured in Normandy have to be checked over!" Dick rolled eyes. "Elizabeth? You are a horrendously bad liar! You are almost as bad as Nixon!" I faked surprised. "Now why would I lie to one of my best friends, even if he was my Commanding Officer?" Dick looked torn; he wanted me to tell him something without directly asking me. "I have heard that you may need to talk to me, about grievances between yourself and another member of the Company." I stopped dead. "Billy told you?" I looked worryingly at Dick. My heart was pounding so much; I was convinced he would see it.

"Staff Sergeant Guarnere told me nothing. However Cpl Toye happened to mention that Guarnere was sporting a hand print looking red mark on his face." I felt like a child who was being reprimanded. "We had a disagreement and things were said." I wasn't going to tell Dick the subject of the argument. "As long as everything between you two is now okay. I need both of you to be focused." I flashed him a smile. "Everything is fine now." I hoped he was happy with what he had seen and that the suspicious streak within him would not cause him to go asking questions.

Filtering in the guys I needed to see, the last two were Billy and Joe. They both stiffened up at the sight of each other. I wanted to get this cleared up especially as I had just had by brain fried and I knew exactly what we were in for!

"Right, before I even get into this, this right now is a one way conversation!" I held my hand up to silence Billy who I knew couldn't resist having a go. "Like I have told the pair of you, I love you both. You," I said turning to Billy "are my best friend. You always have been. I cannot move for memories that include you. But like I said before I love him too," pointing at Joe. "He is in ma life, and will be for a long time and just because I am an officer won't stop us. Wha' happened between us happened. There ain't nothin' you or I can do about it." I knew Billy was itching to say something but I didn't let him get a word in. "If and when you marry Frannie, I will be on the front row watching. I don't blame you for what happened, but you can't be angry at Joe." Billy nodded. All his anger that had been boiling on the surface, was now gone. I turned to Joe. His big eyes looking at me, he knew everything I had to say.

"You know I love you and you know I love him too. He is my best friend and I am sorry he hit you." I glared at Billy who sheepishly looked away. "If you love me and want me, then I am afraid he is part of it too." Joe nodded. He understood it better than Billy did. "I don't expect either of you to be the best of friends. But at least you can be is civil to each other for crying out loud. You both survived D-Day and everything the Germans have thrown at us since. Please do not let your jealous of each other be the reason one of you gets hurt." They both agreed to this. I didn't want to have to go through the next however many years, trying to keep the peace between my boyfriend and my best friend. I knew it had to be settled before we jumped, because once we were in the air, anything could happen, to any of us. Mockingly dismissing them both, I collapsed onto the bench. My life had gone from fairly ordinary, to completely upside down. There was a knock at the tent door.

_Can people not leave me alone for two minutes?_ I grumbled. All I wanted was a few minute alone, so I could sort out my head and the new memories that had been downloaded into my brain. There was a huff outside and an arm proceeded to stick through the door, holding a hipflask.

"I'll leave you alone if you want. But I figured that sorting out Liebgott's and Guarnere's petty squabbles deserves a drink!" Lewis popped his head round the flap. I jumped up from the bench, nearly knocking the thing over. "What did you hear?" It was a little abrupt, but I had to ask. "Nothing exciting, just that they had both survived D-Day and that they shouldn't let their petty squabbles get in the way." He was paraphrasing to say the least. I let a nervous smile creap across my face. It was never a good idea to lie to the Intelligence Officer, but on this one occasion, I decided to take my chances.

"In that case Lewis, you're a little star!" I accepted his offer. Allowing the bitter sweet smell of Vat 69 whiskey to consume my senses, I escaped for all of a few seconds. My two best friends were now scattered to the four winds and here I was preparing for my first combat jump. _Trust Lewis to be around to brighten up my hour of darkness. A little pick-me-up is not going to hurt anyone…just depends on how many I have in the day! _ Handing the flask back, I set about sorting out the tent. Lewis was perched on the side of the bench.

"Them two fighting again?" I looked at him puzzled? "Again? They have fought before?" It was news to my ears. Lewis took a swig of the flask. _ He'll be bloody lost without that thing when we get to Holland. I know he can sweet talk the spots off a cheetah, but I doubt the German's will just hand over the whiskey! _"On as regular basis from what the reports Sobel had. It all kicked off on the Samaria on the way over to England." "Did it now?" I listened to Lewis, dishing the gossip like a school girl who had nothing better to do and decided that it was information well worth remembering.

"Say Lewis, with you being Battalion Staff an all, could you keep an eye on someone if you wanted to? Like keep track of where they are?" He looked at me with an inquisitive look. "I'm worried about the girls and with me heading out to Europe without them, well it just don't feel right. I just want to make sure that they are okay. I always told them I would look out for them." Lewis clutched at his heart. "Elizabeth, I didn't realise how much you cared!" I threw the bandages I had in my hand at him. "I miss them Lewis! They are my sisters and I miss them so much. It would only be like if you and Dick were ever to be split up. Think just how you would feel about that?" Taking a couple of seconds to mull over my request and how he would feel if Dick was gone, Lewis patted me on the shoulder. "I'll see what I can do for you Betty. I know how close you were to them."


	33. Chapter 30

**_My wonderful readers! Thank you for sticking with me for so long. I took a little time today to read all the reviews that you have all written to me and I honestly can not thank you enough for all you comments :) It is truly wonderful to read that so many people like to read what I am writing. Please remember to post a comment or a review after you have read the chapter, it really does give me the motivation to keep going! _**

**_Just for all you twitterers out there, I now have my own twitter account, so you can ask me questions and tell me what you think. You can find me TabithaCaine_**

**_And as I haven't done one for a little while, an author's note: This story is purely the crazy fictional work of my mind, I do not in any way mean disrespect to the men who served. I gain nothing from this save the smiles when people review my writing. _**

**_Please enjoy. _**

The afternoon was hot. Not blisteringly hot like it would've been at home, but it was British hot; slightly humid with a teasing breeze brushing against your face. I was nervous, almost bordering on petrified. I checked my kit and medical supplies that I would be carrying with me. Billy, Chuck Grant and Babe Heffron came over to give me a hand or stand and laugh, I couldn't decide which.

As a medic, I wouldn't be carrying a rifle, but I had insisted, bordering on insubordination that I should and would carry a pistol. The Colonel hadn't fully understood my reasoning until reports came through that the Germans were starting to shoot the medics left behind to treat the wounded. "Sir, if I have to go down protecting one of my own then, with all respect sir I would like to take some krauts with me." Sink just nodded in approval.

"Betty, you know you won't need your reserve chute. We are jumping low." Billy looked at me like I was an over cautious football player who had too much padding on.

"Oh," I said "God only knows why I wanted to work with you lot!" I unclipped my chute and threw it at him. Grant the ever quiet bystander chuckled.

Once I was done and happy with all my kit, I went on to help the new guys. There was a gentle chatter on the airfield, until silence swept through like a strong wind. Whispers and glances flitted around the Toccoa Veterans. Everyone was turning towards the vehicles and there he was.

"Oh for the love of God." I looked at Bull, who turned to face the car. "Jesus Christ." There in all his new Regimental glory was Capt. Herbert Sobel.

"Who's that Sarge?" Hashey asked Bull as he was helping them with their kit. "Our old CO." I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if Sobel had been in charge. Hashey looked puzzled as to why all the seniors where looking at this Captain with such distaste. "What happened to him Sgt?" Bull just chewed his cigar. "He got promoted."

It was always the way with Officers. If they were good at their jobs, they got promoted. If they were bad at their jobs, they got promoted.

"What's Sobel doing here?" I heard someone ask.

"No idea, maybe he's here to see what it might be like to be a proper solider." There he was, all smug in the front seat of his jeep. But it was the man behind him everyone else was interested in.

"Popeye?" I walked over to where Lipton and Bull had stopped by the Jeep. Popeye Wynn had been shot in the backside on D-Day and as such had been laid up in hospital for the last couple of months.

Lipton was helping him out of the Jeep, whilst also grilling his young friend. "Who let you out of the hospital like that?" Popeye looked little pleased with himself. "They didn't let me out, I busted out. I didn't want to get reassigned to another unit." It was a procedure for infantrymen, no matter what their speciality, to be reassigned to another unit if they spent more than 90 days away from their parent unit.

"Can you make the jump?" I could understand Lipton's questioning. Whilst it is always good to have the original guys back, to have someone who was not able to make the jump was pointless.

"Sure I can Lip, I just can't sit" We all laughed. Popeye caught my eye. "Hey there Lieutenant. How are you?" I just nodded and smiled at the question. "It shouldn't be you asking me that question Wynn, it should be me asking you!" "Aww I'm alright Lt. I promise!" He noticed my wings. "Nice to see, you'll be jumping with us this time!" I smiled. I was nice to be able to with the regiment. I couldn't go through another D-Day again. "Popeye went AWOL just in time for the jump." I could honestly say I had never seen anyone so pleased to be jumping out of an aircraft. The love and bond these boys had for each other was indescribable. The conversation turned to the arrival of Sobel.

"What's he doing here?" Bull asked. Popeye was using Lipton as a sort of crutch. "Who Sobel, well he's the newly appointed Regimental S4."

"What happened to him running the jump school?" It had only been a couple of months since I had returned from my own training.

"They thought it appropriate to promote him to regimental staff, as there were new officers coming in from Fort Benning who could run the jump school."

"But as Supply Officer?" It was something I wouldn't have believed unless I had seen it with my own eyes as well, especially with his training background.

"Yea, you got it." We had stopped to take a breather. Whilst Popeye said he was fit, he wasn't as quick on his feet as I would have liked him to be.

"He picked me up in Aldbourne trying to find you guys."

"He knows you went AWOL?" Sobel was known throughout the regiment for the punishment of even the most minor of indiscretions.

"He knows. He just said I was lucky and that I could sit out this jump if I wanted. I said that I didn't want to, so he said "Hop in." Bull was just as surprised as I was. "He said Hop in?" it was completely out of character for Sobel. "Yea I know," Popeye replied "I couldn't believe it either. Maybe he'll court-martial me later!" Lipton patted Popeye on the back as they headed off to find some spare kit. Leaving the men to it, I wandered in amongst the guys, checking the squad leaders had everything that they had been issued. Finishing my rounds, I headed over to the makeshift church. I hadn't been to a service properly in a month. With my fears rapidly making their way to the surface, I was in need of a little guidance.

"Father?" I called out. Father Maloney was the regimental chaplain, another recipient of the DSC for his actions in Normandy. "Lieutenant? What can I do for you?" He was clearing away the few personal affects he had with him. "Could do with a little one-on-one. I've been away from the church for a while and well…I'm a little rusty." Father just smiled. "No one is rusty when it comes to praying Lieutenant." As foolish as it may have sounded to an outsider, or a non-believer, I wanted someone there with me. The last time I had been to church had been with my parents before I had shipped out. Kneeling quietly beside him, the anxiety of what we were all about to face rose to the surface.

"I'm scared." It was undoubtedly something Father had heard many times before. "Why are you scared? You have had all the training that is required of your to complete you job. Have faith in yourself and those around you." _It's not the boys that I'm scared off. It's the bloody Germans and their sodding tanks! _ "I do have faith Father, more so than ever. I am the only combat nurse in the regiment now and I have to show the men that they can trust me with their lives. I just…" I faulted. Could I tell him everything that had happened over the last couple of months…No! _ One way ticket to the nut house and then you'll never get back…keep your trap shut._ "I think that this mission is bad. We all know that war is bad in general. But this mission in particular…it just doesn't sit right." Father Maloney sat quietly and listened to everything I had to say. "Elizabeth," he whispered. "You are the company's medic and therefore worried about the welfare of the men, but you cannot let these anxieties get the better of you." I understood what he was trying to say but it didn't help and it wasn't his fault. We said a prayer and he blessed me and my family. Leaving the tent, it felt as though I had put a lid on the anxiety and nerves and I was a little less jumpy for now."Get a grip of yourself woman." I berated myself. "You're about to jump out a perfectly serviceable aircraft into occupied Holland…start thinking about your job."

I was flying. Floating through the air like a bird. It was the most incredible thing I had ever done in my life. All of the training jumps were nothing close to this. Even the solo jumps that had to be completed at Chilton were just not the same. Why this one was different, I couldn't tell you. Maybe it was because I was jumping behind enemy lines or because it was the first time I would have to do it properly, I really couldn't tell you.

The ground was rapidly moving closer and for the fewest of seconds I started to panic. Would I land right? Would I remember everything I had been taught? As these thoughts circled round my head like prying vultures, I remembered something my instructor had insisted from us from day one. _You will land safely and able to fight the enemy, only if you think about landing when it is required of you. If you try and think about anything else, there is good chance that you will forget something, land badly and be useless to your unit. _ Well there it was. I was not going to be useless to my unit. Clearing all thoughts from my mind, I focused on what I had to do.

"Nice landing Lieutenant!" someone shouted to me as I was fighting with my clasps. The whole experience is an extraordinary thing. When you are in the air, it is exhilarating and the adrenaline was intoxicating._ I can't believe that I haven't done this before! _ But then when you are down on the ground, with your feet firmly planted on the floor, looking up at the sky watching the rest of the regiment float down around, it seemed so surreal, almost dreamlike.

Grabbing my gear, I made my way through the mayhem that was the 506th, trying to re-organise itself. Finding 2nd Battalion HQ, I awaited orders as Lewis Nixon was the first to congratulate me on my jump. "Nice to see you made it all in one piece Betty!" Lewis offered a swig of his hip flask to mar the occasion. "Thanks Lew. Couldn't let you have all the fun now could I?"

Dick was consulting a map that was stretched out on top of Major Strayer's Jeep. Both of them looked a little annoyed. "Clear daylight, slight wind and they still manage to drop us several miles from the DZ." We needed to get moving. The Germans knew we were there as we had come into anti-aircraft batteries on our flight in. Major Strayer turned to me. "Lt. Reedman, nice to see that you have survived your first jump, liaise with the Regimental Surgeon, I'm sure that a few of the replacements won't have been as successful as you." Acknowledging the order, I headed off to find Regimental Headquarters.

There were a few injuries, concussion, couple of sprained ankles, but nothing that would slow us down. As we moved down the main road towards Zon, we encountered little resistance. _Think Lewis might be right with this._ I thought, only for the new memories to flash behind my eyes, reminding me what lay ahead of us. I rubbed my temples. "You okay Betty?" The raspy voice of Joe Toye scared away any fear that was brewing. "I'm fine Joe, just gotta headache that's all. Think I landed too hard." Joe just nodded in agreement.

We were heading for the Wilhemina Canal. If we (and the British) secured our bridges, the tanks could just role right on into Germany. _But it doesn't happen like that!_ I wanted to scream it from the roof tops. Beg General Taylor to turn the entire division around and head back to England, but it wasn't to be. There was nothing that I could say or do, that wouldn't end up be being interrogated on suspicion of being a spy.

As the bridge came into sight, German 88 artillery fired down the road and their machine guns opened up. I was running up and down the company lines, making sure that no one was hit. Luckily enough we sustained no casualties. _About the only fire fight where we don't lose someone! _I was breathing hard from running the lines, when a water canteen was put in front of me.

"Betty?" Dick had been patrolling the lines, albeit at a lesser speed than I, making sure that everyone was okay. "I'm fine Dick. Just a little out of practise that's all." He chuckled. "I told you the runs would have done you some good!" He winked as he headed back to be front of the Company. As we headed on down towards the bridge, it could have been no more than thirty yards away when the dam thing blew up.

I hit the ground. The stones and dirt pressing against my faces as debris from the bridge came raining down on us. Nano seconds after it stopped I was up, along with Spina and Roe checking for any wounded. A few men had splinter wounds. "Roe, get them over by the bank." He grabbed a few men to help carry the wounded. "Would've been one helluva way to die" I heard some of the men saying. It would have been the most unfortunate way to go, especially after having survived the jump and the artillery. Whilst I was sorting out the wounded, Easy had been tasked with providing covering fire for 1st Battalion as they crossed the canal.

I moved between the men lying on the bank. Most of them were walking wounded, but we had to keep an eye on them in case their injuries proved more serious. "Hey Betty! Get a load of La Prade!" Luz called out. Trying to cross the canal was 1st Battalion CO, Major James La Prade. He was tiptoeing across the rocks, trying his darn hardest not to get his feet wet. To make him look even more ridiculous was he had his pistol out to help him balance.

"Geez Luz, does he want to get popped off by the snipers?" Luz just laughed. Easy Company had been told they would cross the canal…by night.

For some reason, the idea of crossing the canal in the dark rattled me. It wasn't that I didn't like the dark or that I was afraid of the water, well I just didn't want to get wet! "Betty, you won't get wet, not if you don't fall in!" Luz laughed as we prepared to leave the bank. "I would rather wait the extra few hours until the British Engineers get here!" But my whinging fell on deaf ears. _Just get on with it you sissy! _I told myself. I felt torn inside, as though I was fighting with myself about be scared of going across the river and wanting to get it done. I sided with the tougher side of my brain and headed across the canal. Once we had crossed the river safely, the company bunked down in some nearby farm buildings.

"Betty! Come on…get up!" My dreams had recently returned to the unfamiliar faces but comforting voices I had heard whilst in England. But the loud intrusive voice, I could most definitely put a face too.

"Buck Compton, do you know you should never wake a girl when she's sleeping?" I mumbled as I turned over and hugged my med it bag like a teddy bear.

"Betty, get up, we're moving out!" I squinted through uncooperative eyes at my watch, which read 6 am. "Buck, we don't have to move out for another hour!" I could feel him leaning over me. "Betty, did you change your watch before you jumped?" It was a simple question, but one that sparked a recall of me fighting with my kit before we jumped. _Oh shit! _I was on my feet and out the barn, before Buck could say another word. My hair was still down and I definitely needed to brush my teeth.

Sorting myself out, I thought that my tardiness had gone unnoticed, until Lewis kindly reminded me as I crept into the back of the barn where the officers were congregating. "Missed you at the Unit briefing this morning Betty!" I flinched. If Lewis had noticed then Strayer would have for definite.

"I forgot to change my watch!" It sounded like the worst excuse on the planet. Lewis laughed. "Yea, I think I have used that one before, along with my dog ate my homework!" He winked at me. "Don't worry, Strayer thought you were checking on the guys who got wounded yesterday." I almost knocked him over, as I flung my arms round him. "Lewis Nixon, you're a star!" Planting a kiss on his cheek I headed off to find Spina and Roe. What I didn't see was the longing look on Lewis' face as I left.

Heading to Eindhoven, I noticed how little difference there was between Holland and France. The countryside was green, the fields were still muddy but it was beautifully quaint. We had halted and had been crouched in a ditch for the better part of half an hour. Hoobler had gone off to take a leak, but came back with bottles of what looked like home brew!

"Gotta love Holland!" Whilst it was completely against the rules, who was going to write him? Lt. Peacock, one of the new platoon commanders, who only looked like he had graduated high school that year, came and told those of us waiting; we would be heading for the town through the nearest field and Hoobler couldn't be taking it with him.

"Hoobler!" I half shouted half whispered. He was half way through the bottle. "Hoobler!" He turned to look at me over the top of his bottle. "You get rid of that hooch and you do it quickly!" He looked at me with such hurt in his eyes. "Aw Betty!" I held my hand up before he could protest some more. "You do it or you'll be on bed pan duty for a week next time we stop!" He promptly poured the rest of the bottle onto the grass.

Setting off through the field, it reminded me of our trek through the field in Normandy, before the Germans decided they were going to try and blow us all to hell. Private Miller and his Corporal were on point for the two sections behind. Heading into Eindhoven, it was like a Fourth of July Parade and then some. Women, men and kids were waving their orange flags, shouting and laughing. The men couldn't move for women kissing them. The order to "keep moving" was being shouted above the noise, but we couldn't not for the want of trying. As I lost some of second platoon, I saw Sgt Talbert deeply engrossed in a kiss with a dark haired woman and Frank Perconte had his head in the middle of a woman's rather large chest. It was so nice to see people being happy and smiling. I felt someone grab my hand and pull me through the crowd. I only had to squeeze his hand to know it was my Joe.

"I have missed you!" He breathed as we darted round the corner, out of sight from prying eyes. Joe had me sandwiched between him and a brick wall. "I have missed you too!" The space between us was almost none existent. I could feel my body trying to override what my brain. "I just," He leaned closer to me, but not too close that it would appear he was making the move. _Always leaving the deciding up to me! Dam you Joseph Liebgott! _I captured his lips, breathing in his smell as his tongue fought a duel with mine.

My heart was racing so much it could have been heard in Berlin. The kiss could have lasted forever, but I needed to breathe. "Joe, we need to find…" I never finished my sentence as he stopped me with another kiss. "I have wanted to kiss you for the last two days and I haven't been allowed. Besides Shifty is keep watch for us." I pulled away so fast I smacked my head on wall behind me. "Oww!" I protested. "Shifty's keeping watch? He knows?" The idea of more people finding out about us scared me silly. _You madam are walking on fractured glass!_ Joe looked at me a little surprised. "Yea I figured if Bill Guarnere can know about us, then so can Shifty." Joe had a point. My best friend knew; why would it matter if Joe's knew? I smiled at him, his eyes staring at me. "I love you Elizabeth." I could feel my cheeks blush. "I love you too Joseph. With everything I have." It seemed so surreal.

I still had memories from my life in the "future" and I had the down loads and the memories of what has happened here, and yet here I was in the middle of war torn Europe seventy years in the past, confessing what my heart truly felt. No matter what decade I was in, it felt as though all the relationships that I had been involved in, in the future and the memory of the ones that had happened in my past were nothing compared to what I have with Joe.

There was banging down the road, Joe peeked his head round. Shifty who was acting as look out, obviously had thought that the about of people congregating was a big risk. "We have to go." My heart sank. I could have stayed right here, against this wall for ever. "Okay. I will come and find you later." Placing his lips on mine, I breathed him in, trying to make the kiss last longer. Staying against the wall, I ordered my heart to calm down and my cheeks not to betray me. I headed back out into the street. I found Billy, Joe Toye and Perconte having their photograph taken with local women and children. The women had permanent smiles and the children couldn't contain their excitement. Billy's smile could charm the pants of snake charmer.

Eventually I found Dick the rest of the company officers. Lewis was looking a little worried. "Problems Nix?" Welshy and Buck Compton joined us as Dick put away his binos. "Snipers." That single word scared me to the bone. Pulling the collar up on my jacket, I also pulled the First Aid band off my arm. Whilst medics were normally off limits, as stated in the 1929 Geneva Convention, there had been instances recently, of them picking off the medics and I didn't fancy being a target!

Dick was met by a member of the Dutch resistance. They had intelligence on the other bridges we needed to secure. Whilst the men were talking shop, I was drawn back to the public disgrace of the female collaborators. They were having their hair cut off, their clothes torn. One woman was dragged past me with a swastika drawn on her forehead. "We would be glad to have your help." Dick had arranged things with the resistance which meant we now had somewhere to stay the night. 2nd Battalion Headquarters was to be established in Tongelre, suburb to the east of Eindhoven.

Dismissing us with orders to get some rest and something to eat, I told the section commanders that once I had secured a building, I would set up a clinic and treat any niggles or minor injuries that the men had been gotten along the way. My feet ached, which undoubtedly meant the guy's feet would too. I had the feeling it was going to be a peaceful night. There were no signs of the Germans and we had a roof over our heads for the second night in a row.

_**Please please please leave a little tiny review, it would make my day :) **_


	34. Chapter 31

_**Hello my lovely readers! I hope that you all have had a lovely Easter where ever in the world that you are :) I have a few thank-yous to say in this chapter. Firstly to my reviewers - Frankie and her troubled town, CrazyforKasey and my constant reviewer Ruthie-r89 - THANKYOU all so much for taking the time to write me a little note letting me know what you all think and that you want me to keep going! My next thankyou is to my new followers - again Frankie and her troubled town and CrazyforKasey, NiennaFaelivrin, Chrupy23, History101, Narutokakahijiraiya23 and last but not least Curraheegirl.**_

_**I did try and add this little bit of info on my previous post, but i think took it out. For all you tweeters out there, I now have my own account, so you can search for me (just look for TabithaCaine) and you can tell me what you think about Betty's adventures so far :)  
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_**A.N - This chapter involves some events that are not portrayed in the TV series. Now I know that technically strays from my original note explaining that his fiction is solely based on the TV series, however, i have used these events to give an insight into what else happened to the men of Easy Company. I would once again like to reiterate that this is NOT an RP Fiction. I have based my characters on the characters portrayed in the series and I write solely for fun and not for monetary gain.**_

_**Please Enjoy (and review when you have finished...please! :))**_

We moved out of Eindhoven and leap frogged our way down hell's highway, securing the towns of Veghel and the Uden. It was a warm day, blue skies with a slight breeze. Sitting on top of the tank, we were heading for Neunen where according to Webster, Vincent Van Gough was born. "That kid is full of useless crap!" Billy whispered into my ear. I stifled a laugh. My brother Gabriel had been very much like that, always full of useless bits of knowledge. We saw a girl who had had her head shaved holding a baby.

I felt pity for the child more than anything. Its father was more than likely a German officer who had probably killed innocent people for no reason other than because he was ordered to. Bull Randleman passed his egg sandwich down to her so that she had something to eat. Nixon's intelligence so far was right about there being little resistance. But my gut was all over the place. I had the same bad feeling about now as I did before we jumped. Billy noticed I had gone quiet.

"Betty? You oaky?" _what the hell was I meant to say? _"I've just got a bad feeling about this Bill. I don't know what it is. It's too quiet. We haven't seen a German all day." He mulled over my worries until the shouting a medic up front interrupted him. Climbing to the front, the scene before us confirmed what my gut had been telling me all along.

A young inexperience officer who for some reason thought he could walk twenty meters away in front of the company was now bleeding to death. Private Miller was shouting for Bull's attention as the German tank was rolling down the track 500 meters away. Before I could get a medic out and up front, Bull had headed off to try and sort the Lt out. _I'm going to fucking kill him myself._ Shouting for a medic up front, I grabbed Private Nicolas Stanway from Minesota. "The Lieutenant has been shot in the throat. Patch him as best you can and bring him back." Sending him out hadn't been the best idea, as a sniper's bullet ripped through his thigh. "Shit" I muttered under my breath.

"Get moving" Bull started shouting. Heading into the trench, he was grabbing people out. Hashey and Garcia looked just as scared as the guys had done in Normandy. Screaming for another medic, Private Butler from Dog Company hurried forward. "Luke, I need you out front and centre. The LT has a gunshot to the throat. Stan has been hit in the thigh. Keep low, when you have got them stable, holler for some help. Go!" Butler headed off to tend to the injured as the tank and the men provided covering fire.

I ran with alongside the men, jumping over the garden walls, taking cover round the side of the house. I spotted Bill, crouched low on the other side of the graveyard. We were circling the village, but with every turn we took, every wall we crouched behind they were waiting for us. After snatching the dog-tags from two boys of Charlie Company who had been hit by the sniper, I met up with Johnny Martin and Bull Randleman. "Nice to see you lieutenant." Johnny nodded. I had blood on my hands as well as my uniform tunic. "Nice to see you to Sgt." Johnny spotted the German Tiger in the corner of the street. Flagging down the British tank, who had been following the company into Neunen, Martin grabbed Babe and ran to tell them what lay ahead. _This is gonna be interesting._

We couldn't hear what they were saying, but it wasn't going the way that Johnny had wanted it. Climbing off the tank, it just rumbled on past him. Running back to the pavilion, there was nothing that any of us could do. The British tanks just rolled on by. Bull and his squad were on the other side of the street, taking cover in front of some building. They were a lot more exposed than we were. With the first explosion, Bull starting yelling to fall back and get out of the way. The Tiger had taken care of one tank, now it was going after the leader. The machine gunner on the roof of the building in the centre of the village had clear view of everyone. Splitting up Bull's squad, we lost track of them when the bullets started to rain down and the other British tank got hit. I stayed where I was until someone started yelling for a medic. Nodding at Martin and the guys around me, I put one hand on my helmet and headed off in the direction of the yelling.

Private First Class Johnson, a Toccoa man and machine gunner in Bull's squad was trying to staunch the blood flow from a Lieutenant's throat. "I put sulphur on it Lieutenant, but I don't know if I have done enough." Johnson chocked out. He was one of the cleverest guys I knew, besides Webster. He was always seen with a book in his hand when we had been based in England.

"It's alright Johno, I'll take it from here. You go and find the rest of your platoon." Our hands swapped places. The warm blood began to seep through my fingers; the smell of iron invaded my nose. Underneath my hands was Lieutenant Anthony Briggs from Lincoln, Nebraska. He was trying to say something but the words refused to come out as I could feel the piece of shrapnel that was lodged in his throat.

"Briggs, stop moving for Christ sake." He wasn't listening to me. I could see the fear and panic in his eyes. The realisation that he would never go home; that he would die in foreign lands, thousands of miles away from his friends and family, washed over him. "Anthony, you need to stop moving!" I shouted at him. His green eyes were pleading with me as more blood pool in his mouth. My hands were on autopilot, trying to secure a bandage around this throat, but his body had already started going into shock. The convulsions were sharp and violent. "Don't you dare Briggs! I mean it…don't you dare die on me." I grabbed him by the chin, staring at him. "You have to live, you hear me? You have to bloody well live!" His green eyes stared up at me, begging me to fix him. There was nothing I could do for him in this field. He needed to be in a hospital with doctors and surgeons. But there was no time to get him there. He was trying to say something, but he just kept coughing and choking. Leaning into his ear, I whispered gently.

"Anthony, I forgive you." He tried to smile, but he had nothing left in him. I sat back and stared at his lifeless body. He had been a good friend for a while. A silly mistake before we left for France the second time round, parted us on fractured terms. No one else knew of his indiscretion and no one ever would. It was a mistake that he had tried, at the end of his life to right and I wouldn't let him go to heaven without making his peace. Closing his eyes, I pulled the dog tags from his chest and left. A mortar had gone off and there were a few guys wounded up ahead. My lungs burned from the fumes in the air, my legs screamed at me from all the running, but giving in or up just wasn't an option. The man on the ground stared at me with lifeless eyes. He had died instantly, which was a blessing in itself. No medic or doctor wants to see a man fatally wounded struggle. Searching for his tags, the ground shook beneath me. The Germans were beginning to surround us like GI's to a Nurse and I felt someone grab my collar.

"Betty, what the hell ya doing, get outta here!" Bill yelled at me. He knew his plea was useless the moment the words had left his mouth. Grabbing hold of the boy's chain, I yanked hard but they wouldn't release.

"If I can get them the news not matter how bad, they have a right to know." I shirked out of Bill's grasp. He was only doing his job at the end of the day. Something in me made me go back for the tags; I had to let the families know their sons weren't coming home. Bill ran on ahead with the rest of his squad.

As I dodged the bullets and the explosions, I saw Roe and Webster dragging someone towards the main road. It had filtered down that Lewis had arrived with enough trucks and armour to extract the entire company out of Neunen safely. It was the godsend we had been hoping for. Taking cover from an explosion, I landed into a ditch alongside Johnny Martin and Hashey, one of the replacements in Bull Randleman's squad.

"Hash, where's Randleman?" Martin grabbed Hashey whose eyes were wide with fear. "I dunno sarge." Martin told him to get out of there. Johnny turned to me. "You seen Bull Betty?" I shook my head. "Not since that tank blew up!" Johnny turned to face the oncoming Germans, firing off rounds to cover the men who were falling back.

"Johnny we need to get out of here!" He ignored me. As I climbed out of the ditch, a mortar went off only meters from where I was.

All my senses were on fire. My ears were ringing and I had dust in my eyes. For a fraction of a second I could see myself lying in a hospital bed, tubes coming out of my mouth, the people who had come to occupy my dreams were there. The man and woman, whose names were on the tip of my tongue, only not there for me to say out aloud; the young boy who held my hand and the girl at the back of the room; her arms folded across her chest, who did nothing but frown and sit and stare at my motionless body. _I know who you are, but I can't remember your names! _As quick as they had been there they were gone. Martin had grabbed me by the shoulders. "Betty, are you alright? Can you hear me?" I tried to speak, but nothing would come out. "Betty, you okay?" I forced myself to nod. "I'm fine." I croaked. Handing me my helmet and helping me up, things started to return back to normal. "I'm fine Johnny honest. Go and catch up with everyone. I'm gonna go and see if anyone needs me." He looked at me worryingly until I shooed him away.

Another mortar exploded nearby as I jumped into their ditch, I overheard Hashey shout out for Miller. Miller was dead; there was no question about that. He had been hit in the head by a piece of shrapnel. Both of his friends stared at his lifeless body. Grabbing at their collars, I pulled them out. "Garcia, Hashey lets go, fall back to the trucks. Let's go!" The two replacements didn't need telling a third time; they climbed out of the ditch and headed straight for the main road out of town. I followed suit, keeping low, but making sure I would leapfrog people if there was a cry for a medic. As I headed for the trucks, Malarkey and Muck started shouting. Pushing past the guy in front of me, Roe was already sprinkling sulphur on Buck Compton's backside.

"What the hell ya doing? Buck this is no place to be taking a nap!" I looked around. Malarkey and Muck were watching the area around them while Roe worked deftly on Buck.

"Ruptured butt, side to side, both cheeks, one bullet four holes." Roe's analysis was more for my benefit and my reports. I tried so hard not to laugh, which quickly vanished as Buck had gone pale, he was slipping into shock. "Just leave me here for the Germans." Both Malarkey and I double took what he said. "Are you crazy Buck Compton or did you hit your head too?" Malarkey joined in. "Yeah!? Are you nuts? We'll carry you." Buck scoffed at the idea. "I weigh more than two of you combined." I stayed beside him as Malarkey and Muck headed back into Neunen to try and find something to carry him on.

"Can you believe it Betty? Shot in the butt!" He tried to make light of it, more so now he had had some morphine. He kept looking at his fingers that were covered in blood. I took hold of his hands, wiping the blood off with a cloth out of my aid kit. "You should leave me here Betty." He sounded so serious, as though he had resigned the fact we would leave. "Not an option Buck. Besides it's a bit of a company tradition getting shot in the ass!" His laugh was nervous. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long for Malarkey and Muck to arrive back with what looked like a barn door and Bill in tow.

"You guys do know that we are pulling out right! The war'll be over by the time we get to the trucks!" Buck was still playing the platoon commander. Bill shot him a glare. "We don't leave no-one behind. So you can quit yer yapping." With a lot of strength and a little banter aimed at Buck for getting hit in his behind, they managed to get him on to one of the trucks. Bill was telling Johnny Martin about Buck's wound, when Lipton the Company's 1st Sergeant came over. He looked at me with worried eyes. "You okay Lieutenant?" I pondered his question for a moment. "I think so Lip. Almost got hit by a mortar, so my ears are still ringing a bit, but other than that I'm fine." I took my helmet off.

The sweat running down my forehead had started to sting my eyes. Lipton couldn't help but look at my forehead. I touched my hair line, trying to find the source of his staring. I winced the moment my fingers found the mark. "Guess the mortar did get me!" I tried to make light of something that could have been turned out so very bad. "We lost a couple of good men today." Lipton commented. "Van Klinken got hit by a MG post." Lip was blunt and to the point. There would have been a time when I would've said how brave he was or how I had thought he would have made it through, but to keep feelings like that at the surface was asking for trouble.

"Did we lose anyone else?" I asked. With Lipton being the link between the enlisted men and the officers, he would have been the first one to be notified of the deaths. "I've not had an updated list from the platoons yet, but we are looking at about 15 or so. I know that Bull Radleman lost a guy from his squad…young Miller got killed by a mortar strike." Bill had been stood behind me chewing the fat with Johnny, telling each other the attack from their point of few. Bill must have had an ear in our conversation as well as his own, because when Bull's name was mentioned we had his attention.

"Ere Lip, you know dat da Bull is missing right?" Neither of us had any idea. "What? How do you know Bill?" Bill shot me one of his "cos I know" looks. "Cos Johnny Martin was the last one to see him, and no ones seen him since and he ain't on the back on any dese here trucks!" I was shocked and quietly saddened by Bull's disappearance. Bull Randleman was a huge man. He towered over my mediocre 5ft 4" and commanded respect from both the Toccoa men and the replacements alive. He wasn't on for chewing the fat over trivia and nif naf, but when he spoke, everyone shut up and listened to what he had to say. Telling Lip and Bill I would pass on this information to Dick, I headed to the front where he and Nixon were stood behind Jeeps hurrying the last few stragglers in.

"Elizabeth! You okay? You're bleeding!" I refrained from touching my forehead again. Lewis looked worriedly at me. "I'm fine Lewis, stop fretting. I almost got it from a mortar, but I'm okay!" Nixon flashed me a smile. "Good, it's nice to know you're okay." Dick turned to me as the last of the men hurried to the transport. "Elizabeth, are all the wounded in?" I nodded. "Lipton has the official casualty list. But I think we are looking at between 12 and 15 wounded." I was just about to explain about Randleman when there was a loud "ping" and Lewis was sprawled out on the ground.

"LEWIS! NIX!" Dick and I both shouted. My heart had jumped straight into my throat. I was afraid that he had been killed. _What the hell is with you woman? This guy is a friend…you can't have heart palpitations every time he gets hurt! Now quit it! _"I'm alright!" It hadn't registered in my head what he was saying. "You okay?" Dick was asking. I had never seen him so nervous. "Yea, I'm alright!" I had started to check his head. "Betty! Dam it I'm fine. Both of ya, quit looking at me like that!" We moved to the other side of the jeep, Lewis was fighting with the lid of his hipflask. "Don't you dare scare me like that again Lewis Nixon, you hear me?" Lipton had come up with the casualty list.

"Captain, Lieutenants." He was always so polite. Never had a bad word to say about anyone even if they were screwing up.

"We have 4 dead and 11 injured." Dick nodded. _Damn we have come out lucky_ "Okay, let's move them out." Lipton got up from where he as crouched down with us, deciding it was best to check on the wounded before they left; I got up to join him. I patted Lewis on the shoulder as I turned to leave. "You are one lucky guy Lewis!" I flashed him a smile. "Get that wound looked at Betty, You don't want it getting worse!" I acknowledged the order as I turned to head back with Lipton. But he had remembered something to tell Dick.

"Oh and Sir…Randleman is missing too." Dick just absorbed the information like a sponge. If he was shocked his face didn't show it. _Poker face or what! _Lipton and I headed for the trucks. The medical truck had already left for the aid station on the other side of Eindhoven. Buck had been safely loaded on to the back of one of their trucks. He had told the guys in no uncertain terms he wasn't riding in the medical wagon!

The mood was quiet and deflated. We had never retreated before. This was new for us as we had always been the winning side. Now we were running with our tails between our legs or at least that's what it felt like. I sat beside Bill, his erratic breathing slowly returning back to normal. "You might wanna consider giving up the smokes, if you're not breathing to good Bill." I was fighting the desire to sleep and loosing badly. "Yea, well what else am I gonna enjoy whilst I'm ere Betty? Deres no liquor or pretty broads? You gonna take my smokes off me too?" I chuckled. Billy Guarnere definitely knew how to whinge!

"No Bill, I ain't gonna take your smokes off ya, as longs as I get one too!" Bill shot me a look. "So is dat the game you're playing uh doc? Tell everyone smokes are bad for us, so you get them all!" I was too tired to laugh but had just enough energy to smoke the cigarette Bill put in my mouth.

_**So it's my first chapter in a while...what do you think peeps?**_


	35. Chapter 32

_**As I have been so bad at updating, keeping you all wondering what was going to happen to Betty, I thought I would give you a couple more, albeit small, chapters for you to dig your teeth into :)**_

_**Remember, reviews are fantastic and they really do spur on an author to keep writing.  
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_**Please Enjoy x**_

We pulled back to the other side of Eindhoven, which had been shelled to buggery by the Germans. I had taken one of the personnel trucks as a make shift aid station. I could bandage the minor cuts and bruises and checking on those who were still battered from the jump or injured in the days previous.

"Private Baker!" I called forward the next solider. "Now what can I do for you?" Baker managed to shirk off his jacket to reveal a deep cut across his shoulder. "Couldn't just patch me up could ya doc?" I had heard the same question from the last twenty other men. _It's not too bad doc, just patch me up good as new and no one will know the difference! _It wasn't that I didn't want to keep them from their friends, but being injured made them vulnerable. If they hurt their leg, they couldn't run fast enough, if it was their arm, they can't shoot properly. But trying to explain that to a group of men so dedicate to each other that their own personal wellbeing could be cast aside like trash, was commendable. Baker continued to tell me how bad it wasn't. "It's not that bad Doc, really. Just a quick fix and I'll be on my way." He took off his shirt, trying so hard to hide the pain that was etched across his face, but the scars on his back were something he couldn't hide. I gasped at the sight of them.

"Oh them!" He looked down at his shirt, fiddling with the hem. "My ma's new husband thought the only way to in still discipline was with a belt." He quietly sat beside me as I began to clean and inspect the wound. "Jack, this needs stitching. You need to go to the aid station." He eyes pleaded with me. "Lieutenant, please don't send me away. The other guys, they said…said that you're a different kinda nurse, that you can stitch people up as though you are a doctor and they said… they said the aid stations are horrible. That you go there but you don't come back!" He looked so scared. "Baker you'll be fine. You'll go, you'll get stitched and then you'll come back to us." He still looked petrified. "Please Lt, please don't send me there."

The kid couldn't have be any more than nineteen and the older guys had been filling his head with horror stories. My resolve crumbled. "Alright, stay here while I go and fetch Roe." Roe was only outside helping some of the lesser wounded men. "Roe, I'm gonna need a hand in here." He nodded and finished up what he was doing. I had purloined Lewis' hipflask which I handed to Baker. "Lieutenant? You know I'm not old enough right?" "I need you compliant and this will help with the pain…so drink." He took a mouthful which wasn't a pleasant experience from the look on his face. "What the hell is this stuff…paint stripper?" "Near as dam it, now take another _big _mouthful." It didn't take long for the alcohol to take effect. He was quiet and did exactly as we asked. "Brave kid." I said as I finished the last stitch. Patching him up, Roe took him to where a few of the other wounded men were being looked after. Thankfully Baker was the last one and he would sleep well with a few mouthfuls of whiskey in him. As I went to jump out of the wagon, a hand shot out to steady me.

"How's it going Lieutenant?" I almost jumped out of my skin. "Christ alive George, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" He flashed me his charming smile that didn't hide the fact that he was tired. He still had brick dust all over his face.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you!" George Luz was a radio man for HQ and also the Company comedian. He could always be relied on to have a joke or a good come-back when it was needed. He was also just a nice guy. _Definitely need more George Luz's back home_ "No thanks. I'm fine. I have just had to stitch Baker's shoulder together as I didn't have the heart to send him to the aid station, poor kid was scared silly!" "Scared of an aid station…what for?" I shot George a look that made him think about what he had just said.

"Oh right yea. Well it's not like they are really that bad!" I turned on my heel to face George, whilst walking backwards. "George the kid is nineteen, he's not old enough to vote or even buy a beer, but he's old enough to bleed for his country? Aside from all that, there are people filling his head with horror stories." I hadn't meant to unload on him, but he was the closest one.

I turned back around and slowed my pace. "Sorry George, I didn't mean to have a go. I'm tired, cranky and my own head is killing me" He just shrugged and took it in his stride. "I know you didn't mean it Betty. The guys probably didn't mean anything by it." I knew he was right. He patted me on the shoulder. "You're doing alright Betty, you just hang in there." He headed back towards his foxhole while I had a walk round. I saw Bill talking to Hoobler and Hashey.

"If there ain't no body, there ain't no body fucking dead! Understand me?" Hoobler looked tired, they all did. The first few days in Holland had not gone as planned. "I'm gonna go look for him." Hoob stood up to collect his kit belt. "Oh hey Lieutenant!" Billy turned around to see me. "You alright Betty?" I was staring off into space. "Erm, yea. You heard anything about Bull yet?" Both of them shook their heads. "Me and Bill are gonna go look for him." Something within me started to panic. "You be careful, you hear me! We don't know what's happened to Bull, but Neunen is now crawling with krauts." Bill frowned at my sudden panic. "We'll be alright Betty. Don't you worry!" Bill started to walk away to get some ammo, when Hashey and Garcia said that they would go in his stead.

"Well alright then. Go bring him back." My heart started to slow down. I walked alongside Bill, who was headed back to his own platoon. "You alright Bee?" He hadn't called me that in years, not since we were little kids. I shook my head in response. I wasn't alright. We hadn't stopped since the moment we had landed in Holland, not factoring in Anthony's death or the near experience of my own, I didn't know if I could keep it together for much longer. "I'm just…" Bill turned to look at me. For the first time, in all the years we had been apart, there in front of me was my best friend. "I'm just…scared!" Before I could realise what was happening, I was sobbing into his jacket. It wasn't because I wanted to cry, I felt as though there was no other way of getting out the way I felt. It was a release of emotion that had built up. "Hey!" Bill stroked the back of my head. My surge of emotion worried him a bit. I hadn't cried like that since Normandy and I had found out about Henry. "Betty?...Elizabeth?" I couldn't control my tears, so he just let them fall. "Betty, ya worrying me! What's wrong?" I pulled my head away from his shoulder. "I haven't got a dam clue!" We walked up to the side of the medical truck. Bill looked down at me, his eyes looking over my tear streaked face. "Betty, ya don't just burst into tears for nothing. Ya didn't even cry when ya got that, and yous was only a kid back then." He faintly traced the scar that ran along my forehead. I winced slightly as his touch caught the cut I had gotten earlier. "You're hurt!" I tried to say it was nothing, but he brushed back my hair to see for himself. "How did you get that?" I had forgotten all about it until he had touched it. Bill just kept staring me down till I answered him. "I nearly got hit by a mortar." I mumbled. "Ya what!?" Bill's voice was that shocked it bordered almost angry.

"I'm fine though. It's nothing but a scratch!" _How original of you Elizabeth, stealing other peoples' lines! Shame on you. _Bill didn't buy the fake smile and the paper thin bravado that would have sufficed everyone else. "Betty? Come on! Talk to me? Why was you crying?" if I didn't tell him, he would bug me about it all night. "alright alright, if I tell ya do ya promise to quit with ya nagging?" Bill crossed his arm. _Take that as a yes then. _"I got scared Bill. I got scared that bad, I thought the fear on its own was gonna kill me. Then, there was the lads I couldn't help or save." He pulled me into a hug before I could say anything else. "I know Betty, I was too." He whispered to me. Whilst I knew his confession had only been for my benefit, it was nice to know he felt the same. Pulling out his embrace, I wiped my face with my jacket sleeve. _Charming Betty, really nice. You might as well wipe your nose on the chuff too!_

"How long do you think it will take Hoobler to get back to Nuenen? I had to change the subject. I didn't fancy being asked by anyone else why I was upset. Bill shrugged at my question. We had walked all day when the tanks had taken us in. "Dunnos Bee, they should be back by morning." I saw someone move to my left. Roe was packing his kit away. "Hey Doc?" Eugene glanced up to see us standing very close to one another. Whilst there were questions no doubt, his face didn't betray him.

"Evening Sergeant Guarnere, Lieutenant." He nodded at us. Bill took hold of my hand. "Doc, Betty got a little present from the krauts whilst we was in Neunen, you don't mind taking a look do ya?" I was about to protest, but it wouldn't have do much use. "Sure Sergeant. Not a problem, take a seat Lieutenant." Bill smiled at me and nodded at Roe who had taken the essentials out of his kit bag. Lifting back my hair, he held his flash light up to get a look. "It don't look too bad. It just needs a clean-up that's all."

_**Cookie and icecream for anyone who writes me a little teenie weenie review!  
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	36. Chapter 33

_**My lovely readers, here is the third chapter that I promised you. Chapter 32 and 33 aren't very big individually, but I thought that they would be too big to have as one chapter. I hope you enjoy them...remember reviews are always appreciated and you if you are a twitter fan you can now find me just search "at" Tabitha Caine :) **_

_**Author's note: I have once again used some incidents that have not be included in the TV series and in like my previous AN, this does not detract away from who my characters are based on.  
**_

_**Enjoy**_

As I lay down in the back of the truck, my head slightly fuzzy from the paracetamol Eugene had insisted I take. _Lieutenant, it will help you sleep, you know that! _I thought of everything that had happened over the last few days. How close to death I had been, how death had taken people who hadn't been ready to go. I wondered how my best friends were doing wherever they were. As I drifted to sleep, I felt the comfort of hands wrap themselves around me. "Joe?" I mumbled. "No" the voice of the faceless lady from my dream replied instead. "Claire, it's Mum. Can you hear me? Please come back to us!" There was panic in her voice, as though she had asked the same question hundreds of times before. The name Claire seemed familiar to me, as though it mean something important. I tried to concentrate on the surroundings, to see if there was anyone else with her. "I don't want to leave," I mumbled sleepily. "I want to stay here with the boys." Her voice had grown faint as a whisper. I tried to listen, to hear what she was saying, but it was drowned out by engines and shouting.

Someone was calling me, "Betty? Betty! Come on wake up!" "Joe" I questioned. "Yea, it's me, come on, they have found Bull. He's hurt but okay." As reality crashed through the translucent walls of my subconscious, I opened my eyes. "Morning sleepy head!" Joe bent down to place a kiss on my forehead. "They found him?" I rubbed my face. "Yea, well I think it was more like he found them, but they have all just turned up."

Stepping out the back of the truck, the bright morning light hurt my eyes. Everyone was crowding around the jeep that Bull was sitting in. "These salty bastards," Bill was pointing at Hoobler and the lads that went after him. "wanted to commit suicide to drag your ass back." Bull raised an eyebrow. "Is that right?" Bill just laughed. "Yer, I told 'em don't bother." Bull climbed out of the truck. "Didn't like this company none." I pushed my way to the front.

"Where is he? Let me see him!" Bull Randleman towered over me. But that didn't stop me from grabbing his collar and pulling him down to my level. "Denver Randleman," I paused. It may have looked ridiculous to an outsider, the biggest man in the company stooping down to a pint sized woman.

"I am so glad that you are back. But don't ever do anything like that again. Ya hear me!" Bull's eyes twinkled. "Yes Ma'am." He answered in his south trawl. "Right, once you have reported into HQ, I want you on the back of the truck so I can take a look at this shoulder of yours. As we walked away from the main crowd Johnny was taking the mickey out of Bill. "Johnny don't irrigate me!" I couldn't help but laugh. "What you laughing at?" I couldn't speak for the life of me. "I think you mean irritate." Johnny was laughing as well. "Don't know who's more stupid…you or the hick!" Our laughter was interrupted by Lipton's calling. We were moving out again.

"2nd Platoon on your feet, let's go!" Bill yelled. Where we were going now no one knew. Our objective had been lost, so it was time to re-think. After making sure the walking wounded had been loaded on to trucks. I went to check in with HQ. Harry, Peacock and a couple of other officers as well as Dick and Lewis were waiting for the Colonel. "Betty? All the wounded accounted for?" I nodded. "Of the eleven casualties from Nuenen, there were six that were serious and were sent on to the aid station, we've got five walking wounded which now includes Randleman." Dick had taken notes so that the correct numbers could be passed up the chain of command. "Good, we are moving out to Uden, north of Eindhoven. The plan is to regroup with the rest of the 506th and see what the Regiment has planned."

The next few days were hellish. After retreating out of Nuenen, we headed for Uden to meet with the 506th, just as Dick had said, but the Germans had other plans. As we passed through Veghel, the Germans cut the road. We had 3 British tanks with us as support but it didn't make a blind bit of difference. The krauts had us cornered for the best part of a week. Aside from the Germans giving us all kinds of trouble, Dick had to deal with problems from the British. We had been in the makeshift HQ when he had stormed through the door, almost knocking Nixon, who was "inspecting the insides of his eyelids" off his chair.

"Dam Lazy Brit! If it's one thing I can't abide, its officer's not doing their jobs properly." I almost choked on my coffee. "Richard Winters!" It was more out of shock than anything else. Dick didn't swear…ever!

"That British tank commander was having *tea* with some local instead of watching the check point. Not to mention finding Welsh in the bar!" It was the only time I ever saw Dick get angry at one of his own officers. The days following Harry had a few extra duties to make up for his indiscretions.

The casualties were few, mainly just checking old wounds and keeping things covered and clean. I had been tending a couple of 2nd platoon boys who had been nicked in Neuen when George Luz and Frank Perconte came tear arsing into my aid station.

"Betty!" Luz was panted, his hands steadying himself on the bench. "Betty, there's Germans firing at the bell tower!" I handed my patient over to Roe and grabbed my kit. "Who's up there?" They both shrugged. "Dunno. But no-one can find Capt. Winters or Capt. Nixon." We halted 200 meters from the church. The Germans were just round the other side. Telling George and Frank to cover me, I headed round the back, to the steps that lead up to the tower. As I steadied my heart rate and went to open the door, two of the most senior officers in the Company came tumbling out, in fits of laughter.

"That was close!" Nixon was clutching his sides he was laughing and panting that hard. Their stupidity infuriated me. "Close!?" I shouted. Nixon couldn't stop laughing whilst Dick saw that I wasn't impressed. "What the hell were playing at? You are the company commander for crying out loud!" I knew I was no in position to lecture the CO, but this was just ridiculous. "I know that I am no infantryman, but did either of you give a moment's thought about what the implications would have been if you had been shot or killed?" I turned on my heels and ran back to where George and Frank were waiting for me.

"Everything okay Lieutenant?" Frank asked as I stormed past. My anger wasn't warranted, but it was easier to be angry than to admit I had been worried about either of them. As I walked back to the aid station, I tried to calm my nerves by smoking, but I couldn't strike a match properly. Heading straight for the back office, I slammed the door shut. _Well fucking done! Just chew the boss out…that was clever!_ I knew I had over stepped the mark, but it had been complete lunacy!

I thumped the desk out of pure frustration. I was angry, upset, scared and they were all making an appearance at once. _So not what I need right now! _As I slumped into the small office chair, my hands able to work the matches, I breathed in the much needed smoke. The idea of losing any of the men could reduce me to tears if I thought about it long enough, but I was as close to Dick and Nixon as I was to the enlisted men. In my eyes, there was no difference to any of them. They were all my family.

A knock at the door brought me back to reality. The medics knew better than to knock on my door when it's closed, so this had to be someone who didn't work in the aid station.

"Hello Elizabeth." "Hello Richard." I opened the door and allowed him to enter the office. I had thought my anger would come back instead I was consumed by guilt. "I'm sorry" I said, without looking directly at my commanding officer.

"I was out of order for shouting at you. It was not my place Sir." Dick nodded in acknowledgement of my apology. "Thank you Betty." I had no idea why he was here. He had nothing to apologise for. He was just doing his job. I was the one that had let my feelings get the better of me and flashed at my superior officers.

"I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay over here and check on the men who are almost fully fit." Whilst I was not in the habit of calling people liars, Dick was not a very good one. Handing him the lists that detailed all those that had been killed or seriously wounded and those that had been wounded but had not warranted attention outside of the company. "Elizabeth?" I turned to be greeted by his steely blue eyes. "Thank you very much for the lists and your concern earlier." With that he about turned and left the office. _You are one lucky son of a bitch._ The whole incident as far as it concerned Dick was forgotten about, however Nixon liked to remind me every now and again that I cared. Whilst there had been no mention of it to the superiors to anyone else in the company, I knew the guilt would not leave me so quickly!

Moving out of Veghel a day later we re-joined the 506th in Uden. But that still didn't stop the five hour fire fight with the Krauts. Bull and Malarkey were shelling the hell out of the German tanks whilst I tended to Dick's runner, Private Stevenson, who had been shot in the shoulder. Dick came by whilst making his rounds. "How are doing Doc?" I finished tying off Stevenson's bandage. "Not too bad Sir. Stevenson caught some shrapnel but he'll be okay." Dick helped me carry the lad back to HQ, where Lewis was inspecting his helmet. Right in the centre was a bullet hole. His forehead was sporting nothing but a graze where the bullet had travelled though his helmet. "Guess I need a new helmet now!" In the 10 days since we had left Neunen, we had sustained 22 casualties, that not including the British Soldiers who got wounded when their tanks had been hit by a Tiger.

_**A.N - I know that this chapter kind of ends abruptly, or at least that's the way I feel about it. I just didn't have another good break and pause in the story whilst i was writing it. It was either going to be a really small piece like this or a massive one that could go one for hours! **_**_Remember REVIEWS ARE GOOD :) Tabby xx  
_**


	37. Chapter 34

_**My dearest readers - I have reposted this chapter as I had made an error in the timeline story in some of the background characters. I have rectified it hence the repost.**_

_**As always - for your reading pleasure.**_

Our next stop was "The Island." It was a long narrow area north of Nijmegen which was between the Lower Rhine and the Waal River. A meeting had been called by Colonel Sink and Lt. Colonel Strayer at Regimental Headquarters in Hemmen. The British 43rd Wessex Division had previously held the area; they left after suffering heavy casualties and so the duty of protecting the area fell to us.

As far as the officer of Easy Company were aware, it was just a routine meet and greet briefing with Colonel Sink, Dick had wanted to get his men settled for the night and at least let some of them sleep whilst it was quiet.

The first few days on the Island were quiet, which was useful but at the same time disconcerting. "I don't like this Eugene!" I said, as we were packing up the medical supplies. He frowned, waiting for me to continue. "The Germans know we are here that's for sure, but waiting for them to do something is just downright awful." Eugene contemplated my uneasiness.

"Well Lieutenant, as you said, we know they are there and they know we are here, suppose the upside is we have the chance to prepare ourselves, make sure we are ready for whatever they are gonna throw at us." I forced a smile. "You're always looking on the bright side of things Eugene. You remind me of my brother Matthew. He was always like that, thinking of the good side of things when everyone else seems to be seeing only the bad." Roe moved on to separating out the bandages and morphine for the new medical kits without saying anything else. I could tell he was thinking about something, as there was a little frown in the middle of his forehead.

"Never heard of you talk about your family before Lieutenant." I paused for a moment. I hadn't thought of my brothers in a long time. "The last time we had all been in the same house was the day of my graduation back in Philly. When the draft had happened in 1940, seven of my brothers fell into the age category, but only the middle three had to register as my eldest four brothers had joined up in between the wars. I remember my mother's letters telling me how worried she was about them all." I laughed at Eugene's surprised face. "You have a mighty big family Lieutenant!" I shrugged. "Well only the eldest seven had or could enlist; Luke, my twin brother Edward and I were too young at the time. It would have broken my mother's heart had they registered as well and with me away at Nursing school. She would have had no one to keep her company." The smile that crept across my face faded, as memories of happy times, turned to ones filled with sadness and good byes.

"Lieutenant, are you alright?" I looked up at Eugene who had walked over to where I was standing. "Yes I'm fine. The problem with this place and all this quietness is it allows your mind to wander to places you don't want to go." He frowned. "I am sorry." I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry about. It's nice to remember family, but at the same time, it hurts a whole lot too. I was rememberin' my brother Daniel. He was…such a good looking guy. So young and full of life. He wanted to do his bit, so to speak, serve his country and all.

See Daniel and my older brother Joseph, they were in the same drafting pool for the Navy. Kind of ironic really, they had both joined up on the same and they even had almost identical numbers save for the last number. Well anyway Joseph got drafting orders and Daniel didn't. Daniel wasn't pleased to say the least. Daniel was so mad! He couldn't understand why they would send Joe when he had a wife at home expecting their first baby and a job that meant he was excused – he was a foreman at a Sherman factory, when he was he young, fit and full of enthusiasm, graduated top of all his class and single. But it didn't work like that, see you got a number and if dat number got called on lottery day…well you was looking at a new career.

So Daniel took things into his own hands and he took Joseph's place in Pearl. See Joseph and Daniel, they 'ad almost the same service number, all except the last one, Joe 'ad a seven and Daniel had 'ad nine. Joseph accepted his duty, had even prepared his goodbyes to Lucy, but Daniel wasn't having any of it. So when the official orders arrived telling Joe where he had to go, Daniel stole the orders and the train ticket that the Navy had sent and left the night before. See I think he botched the service number, that way when he got to Pearl and they were expecting Seaman J Reedman and they got Seaman D Reedman, they could blame it on the admin at Navy Command.

My Ma was beside herself, somehow managed to blame herself. She wouldn't speak to my brother for a good month. And then about 6 weeks later, she received a telegram on New Year's day 1942 to say that her son, my brother had been Killed in Action during the attack on Pearl Harbour by the Empire of Japan." I forced a smile at Eugene, who studied my face to see if I was doing to break down in tears. "I hope that he is resting peacefully Lieutenant." I patted Eugene's shoulder. "So do I Gene, so do I." I cleared away the boxes and tried to clear my mind. "I'm gonna head out for a smoke Gene, you know…whilst it's quiet." He nodded in acknowledgement. _Whilst it's quiet! Ha you must be nuts! You know full well that the Germans are going to start something soon._

The men had taken refuge inside a nearby barn and were taking full advantage of the quiet time. Cleaning their kit, cleaning their weapons and the most important thing…sleeping. We had a few replacements join us to help fill the hole of the soldiers we lost in Neunen. "You Hashey get the Penthouse." Dukeman told the kid, who had not long ago himself been a replacement. My walk from the HQ had led me here. I had left the supply inventory in the capable hands of Roe deciding that the cool air and walk might clear my head.

"Hey guys!" I called out. I shivered slightly, only to have Garcia hand me a cup of coffee. "You are a star!" He winked and went back to sharing out the small bit of morale that he had made.

"I swear one of them has never shaved!" Talbert could only have been talking about the new replacements that had arrived.

"Hey Betty!" George Luz was sat with Talbert and Dick. George was tinkering with his radio (again), Floyd Talbert was playing with a German Shepherd dog that he had found chained to the outside of the barn and Dick was cleaning his weapon. "Lieutenant." Both Talbert and Dick nodded. Taking a seat next to George, I watched him as he fiddled with the radio only to be interrupted by Tab's four legged friend. "This is one hell of a dog Tab," George said, as he fed the dog biscuits from his ration pack. "Thank you. There you go." Floyd launched a stick for the dog to fetch.

"Whatd'ya call it Tab?" I asked. Dick looked over at me, as though I had stolen his question right out of his head.

"Trigger." Tab replied.

"That's good. I like that!" George said with a mouthful of biscuit. Dick had gone back to cleaning his rifle, while Tab and George were talking about his radio.

"You got anything on this?" George shook his head. "Nope. It's all quiet." Just as George had finished his sentence, the doors to the barn burst open wide.

"We got penetration! Alley's hurt" I couldn't say who yelled it, but Joe, Rod Strohl and Joe Lesniewski came in carrying Jim Alley. I was out of my seat, the mug of coffee hitting the ground somewhere behind me. Swiping the table clear, I shouted for someone to fetch Roe from headquarters.

"Boyle, get Doc Roe." Dick had his own question. "What happened?"

"Alley? Jim? James can you hear me?" I couldn't wait for Roe to arrive so I started without him. Laying him down on the table, I did a quick triage of his wounds. The left side of his ribs, arms, neck and face had all been hit by shrapnel. _Shit, this looks bad!_

"Betty? Betty…What happened?" I was thankful he was conscious and almost lucid. "It's alright Jim, everything's gonna be alright." I looked at Carwood who was trying to keep Jim calm. "Keep him talking." Digging in my pockets, I finished out my lighter, striking the wheel a couple of times to get a flame; I moved it over his eyes, making sure his pupils would dilate. My mind was racing. We hadn't had any wounded for a couple of days and to have Alley come in like this, it felt as though it was my first time all over again. _Calm down Betty, if you don't you're gonna miss something._ I took a deep breath I forced myself to calm down. Checking Alley's pulse, it was faint and weak, he wasn't going to make it unless we got him to a hospital and soon. Telling the boys who were stood round the table to take of his boots and elevate his legs, I needed to start tending to his wounds.

Roe arrived carrying any supplies we might need. "Eugene, he's been hit by a grenade. Major damage to his left side, pulse is faint. I want him hooked up to a plasma bottle." Even though there was so much going on with trying to get Alley stabilized, I didn't miss Lesniewski having a go at Joe. "If it wasn't for your loud mouth, they would never've known we were there." "You know what Joe, back off". I didn't miss Liebgott taking one of the bandages from Roe's supplies either and haphazardly tie it around his neck. If it's one thing I can't abide aside from the Germans trying to kill my friends, it's the men fighting between each other. "Hey, that's about enough!" I didn't have the time say anything else. Dick sent Lesniewski to fetch Harry Welsh from the Headquarters.

"Lipton, assemble me a squad." Carwood looked over at me and Roe. "We got this…go." I told him. "1st squad on your feet! Weapons and ammo only. Let's go." Joe had moved round to where Lipton had been standing. Grabbing a packet of sulphur he started sprinkling it on to the open wounds to protect against infection that we couldn't see to. Roe and I were working methodically over Alley's wounds, trying to extract the small fragments out his sides. The more that we got out of him now, the better chance he had of fighting off an infection at the hospital. Our main concern now was his neck. "Eugene, I need my surgical kit." Gene just looked at me. "Lt. he ain't stable enough for you to try and stitch him here!" He was technically right. His heart rate was too shallow, but on the other hand the wound to his neck needed tending to before he was moved anywhere. "His neck needs to be stitched if he has any chance of surviving the journey to the aid station." Gene thought it over for a second, before shouting for someone's help.

"Connors." Ernie Connors had joined the regiment before we had jumped into Holland; he was a fresh faced Jewish kid who had lied about his age to get in. Instead of being 18, he was only 17 and I was the only person in the entire unit who knew.

"Yes Doc" He was bright eyed, always eager to help anyone. A lot of the seasoned vets thought he was special, and not in a nice way, but he just wanted to prove to everyone that he was wasn't as scared as everyone knew he was. I looked up from inspecting Alley's neck

"Connors, I want you to run over to HQ. Top floor, first door on the right, I need the black doctors case that's beside the bed." He knew what I was talking about as he had told me that his own father was a doctor back home in Miami Florida. Connors ran off before I could say anything else.

"Lieutenant, Alley needs to be moved to the hospital as soon as possible." I knew Eugene was right. I would have moved him myself had I not had my kit with me. "But he needs this more Gene. You know it as well as I do! If I we send him in a better condition than when he came to us. He has a better chance of surviving." Connor was back with my case. Yanking it open, it looked surprisingly bare compared to what it would have been a couple of months ago. The tweezers were gone, as were the spare scissors. Flicking alight my lighter, I crouched down so that his neck was in my direct view. _Okay Elizabeth, don't screw this up now. _"Gene, I need you to hold him still." I leant over the table, trying to get Alley's eyes to focus on me. "Alley, James. Darling I need to keep real still for me now okay." He was enjoying the relief of the morphine to really understand what was going on. Roe and Bull held his shoulders, whilst I threaded the needle and steadied my hands. Five long minutes later, Private James Alley was in the back of an ambulance on his way to the nearest aid station. I hoped and prayed that my insistence had not cost him his life.

As we cleaned up the table that Alley had been lying on, I realised that 1st platoon had left the barn. I knew that two of them had been hurt. Throwing the bloody rags into the corner with as much force as I could muster, I tried to shake off the anger that was rising up within me. "Lieutenant you okay?" The quiet southern tones of Bull Randleman brought me back down to earth. "I'm ok, just a little mad that Liebgott and Strohl left before I could see to their injuries." Bull shook his head. "Lieutenant, you do the best you can for us, we all know that, but sometimes you need to let up on yourself. Don't beat yourself cos you couldn't help them out, you're priority was to help Alley." I knew that Bull was right, but with the memories waltzing round my head, the knowledge that things were only going to get worse before they remotely got better haunted me.


	38. Chapter 35

_**And so just as I promised, my second instalment of tonight's three chapters. I hope you enjoyed the first one from this collection. **_

_**I present you with it's continuation.**_

_**Enjoy xx**_

Once everything had been cleaned up in the Barn, I headed back to Headquarters. As the senior medic for Easy as well as 2nd Battalion, I had a lot of reports to fill in when the men got wounded. Most of the time, they were completed in three or four days after the fact, but I was on my way to see someone who had something I wanted.

Waving the sentry from standing to attention, I pushed open the doors. The main briefing table was empty, but voices floated from rooms upstairs. My legs were tired and my hands were still stained with Alley's blood. No matter how many times I scrubbed them clean, I could still see it. Knocking at the door, I didn't wait for an answer as I pushed it open. The corporal stood next to Nixon's next snapped to attention.

"Chill out Thompson." I said as I dropped myself into the chair opposite Lewis' desk. "Say Thompson, you couldn't be a sport and fine me a nice large steaming mug of coffee anywhere round here with two sugars and a lot of cream?" The kid looked at Nixon for approval. "Make it two Thompson please. And see if Colonel Sink is awake, if not tell Felton that I'll have the paperwork done by the morning briefing." Thompson saluted before leaving the office.

"He's not happy he got detailed off to find coffee!" I laughed as I leant back in the high winged chair. Lewis rested his chin on his hands.

"So apart from ordering Sink's orderly to find you a mug of coffee, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Lewis smiled. I didn't know why I had come here. My feet were on autopilot. Lewis was not like most officers, he swore a lot and drank more than most of the other officers combined, which I suppose is what drew me to him, because I did the same when I was in company that didn't frown up on it. But there was something else about him, there was something that twinkled in his eyes, when he winked at me or laughed at something I said.

"Alley got hit." I sounded emotionless, like a robot that had the inability to feel. _Bit like Data – not that he even exists yet!_ "What happened?" I sat and explained everything I knew. "Kraut machine gun post opened up on the four guys, think some grenades were thrown. Alley got most of it in his side. Sure one of the lads could piece the dam thing back together." I rubbed my face. "and I'm the girl who has to try and fix what them bastards have done." When I looked up at the Lewis, he was invitingly swinging a bottle of Vat.

"You fancy a drop?" He winked. "honestly thought you'd never ask and I'd have to pour it myself!" He pulled out two glasses from his desk and poured more than generous measures.

"You know it will only get worse before it'll get better!" I almost choked on my drink. "Since when did you become philosophic?" He looked hurt at my question.

"What!?" I could do nothing but laugh, because if I didn't I would end up crying. Even now, I could feel them trying to make their escape. I breathed in deeply, willing myself not to cry. _What is with you woman, you cry at the slightest thing…get a grip of yourself _I stared at the ceiling, waiting for the tears to disappear and my resolve go back to what it was. I knew now why I had come here. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who wasn't an enlisted, that should not see an officer crack, someone who wasn't family. I needed someone close to me in rank that would not mind if I shouted and cussed. For that I needed Lewis. "Every time one of the men gets wounded, every time one of them dies. They take a piece of me with them." I refused to look at him; instead the spot I had found on the ceiling had become increasingly interesting. "I don't know who much I've got left Lew!" He had walked out from behind his desk and handed me my drink, which I proceeded to down in one. The bittersweet liquid burned the back of my throat as it made it down to my stomach. _Careful Betty, you haven't eaten all day, another measure like that and things could get interesting. _

"Good girl!" I laughed, handing him my empty glass. He uncorked the bottle and refilled it.

"Do you know where Dick has gone?" I asked as Lewis handed me my second helping. "There's a crossroads about a mile east of here. From what I got out of Boyle, they were heading down to take a look." _And so it starts again. _I thought. Assaulting my taste buds with the whiskey, I handed Lewis back the glass. "I had best get going, if things go bad, Dick might need me." I didn't want to drink and run, but something was telling me I had to leave. As I stood from the chair, the room began to spin. I knew it wasn't the whiskey. _Not here please. _I tried to get to the door, but I wasn't quick enough.

My vision was the first thing to go. It appeared as though I was underwater but with my eyes open. I had my hands out in front of me, trying to grope for something to hold onto. My head felt as though it was going to explode. I could hear Lewis shouting something, but it was unclear, muffled, as though he was shouting from miles away. The flicker of the office lights gave way to the bright fluorescent lights. Voices I remembered from my dreams floated around my head.

"Noooo!" I screamed. The voices and images sped through my head. This download felt faster and stronger than any of the others. It was a film reel running at high speed describing what was going to happen. It was all in my head and I wanted it out. _The coldest winter on record and they had nothing but the clothes they stood up in._ Things were about to go south sooner rather than later. As the download finished, I saw her face. The woman who had haunted my sleep for so long, I saw her, crying uncontrollably.

"Come back to me sweetie, please come back to me. We all love you very much." Part of me want to go to her, tell her that everything was going to be okay, but at the same time, I knew that if I did I would never come back. The bright lights started to flicker and fade. I was being pulled away from her. Her hands out stretched trying to grasp hold of me.

"Elizabeth." I could hear someone calling me. Their voice was muddled. My mind was swimming. I felt the footsteps vibrate on the floor. Their voices too were muffled.

"Lewis?" My vision came back, to find that I was lying outstretched on his office floor. The look on his face was that of fear and worry. My head hurt like hell and my eyes felt as though they were going to burst in their sockets.

"What the hell was that?" My brain couldn't focus. "I, erm, I" I had no plausible explanation. "It was, I get migraines." I hoped he would buy it.

"A migraine? Are you kidding me?" _Shit he's not buying it. Think Betty! _"Yea they come on real strong and…" I felt something trickle down my face. Wiping my nose, I looked down at my hand.

"Betty, I'm no doctor, but you don't get nose bleeds from migraines." I tried to shake the fuzziness of out of my head. "Yes you can Lewis. Migraines can be related to high blood pressure. That build up has to go somewhere, I have a weak blood vessel in my nose from when I got it broken as a kid, and it pops all the time." It scared me just how convincing I sounded. Lewis was thinking about what I had said. Wiping my hand on my uniform, I extend a hand to Lewis as a sign I needed to stand up. As I regain my balance and let the swimming in my head settle down, Donald Hoobler knocked and entered the office. He looked at my face and then at Lewis obviously wondering what the hell was going on.

"Something the matter Hoobs?" He stuttered slightly before explaining why he was up there. "We need ya down at the barn Lt. Captain Winters has called for the rest of 1st platoon, a second Machine Gun crew, artillery and medics and ambulances to deal with two baseball teams. Doc Neavles said that you would want to be informed." I moved away from Lewis and his protectiveness. Hoobler looked at me again, wondering what had been going on. Heading down the stairs, I gripped the banister; I didn't fancy taking another fall.

I could tell Hoobler wanted ask what was going on. The question was on the edge of his tongue. As we walked out over towards the barn, I rounded on him. "Donald Hoobler I know you are not one for being quiet when you have questions in your head. So to a lay any fears, I am fine. I had a surprise migraine whilst I was in the company of Lt. Nixon which resulted in a nose bleed. Nothing remotely interesting enough, that could possible warrant you informing the rest of the company upon their return." Hoobler nodded. I didn't need people fussing over me when there was nothing wrong…it was just a nose bleed…right?

_**So what did you think? Go on, click that Review button and let me know! Won't take you thirty seconds to quickly tell me!**_


	39. Chapter 36

_**Hello my beautiful readers! I have reposted this chapter as I made a slight error in timeline stories for a few background chapters. I hope that it makes more sense than it did before. I know it has been a long time coming, but my Muse decided that she was going to run away and has only just decided to come back. **_

_**As explained to a friend of mine the other day - "you can't force writing, you have to do it at your (or in my case Betty's) pace and if you wake up one day and the brainful of ideas that you had yesterday is no longer there or your muse as taken an unexpected sabbatical, you just need to accept and wait for it to return." - I only have this small small anecdote to offer as an apology for my absence. **_

"Harry? Frank? What's going on? Harry Welsh along with the rest of first platoon and Frank Reis from Battalion HQ were gearing up to go and meet Dick.

"Dick has called for reinforcements down at the Crossroads. Boyle said on the radio that they 1 KIA, but never said who it was." I resisted the urge to panic. My brain wouldn't allow it for starters. Joe had been wounded before he had left here earlier this morning but had he been killed? Had Bill or Toye been hurt too? Had their luck ran out? _Don't think like that Betty, it won't do you any good._ I rubbed my temples. "Okay, take Roe and anyone that knows how to suture and is authorised to administer morphine, I will ride down with Lewis."

As it turned out I wasn't required for the main assault, I travelled down with Colonel Sink and Lewis in the Jeep. After little sleep, the drive gave me the chance to think over the download that once again rudely invaded my brain. I had not had a download since before the company had jumped in the September. Giving me the information my dormant future subconscious already knew. There were screens with block titles; books and chapter headings; films and strange voices telling me what lay ahead. I wished so desperately hard that I could tell someone, anyone the things that I knew.

To be able to tell Dick that there were hard times heading our way would be the biggest of reliefs. But as reality of the burden I carried dawned on me, I knew there was nothing I could do. My 'downloads' did not include names or faces of those that died. _Thankgod_ I whispered. Could you look at someone you cared about only to know that they would not see the sun rise or set? It wasn't something I could bear thinking about. I could hear someone calling my name, their voice so distant.

"Betty!" I turned to find Lipton shaking my shoulder gently. "Lip!? I'm sorry, I was miles away." I said quietly as I climbed out of the jeep. _What a thing to say! Everyone's mind's miles away._

"We've got half a dozen walking wounded krauts." I made a mental note to have Spina or Roe check their papers and get as much detailed information about them as could be collected.

"Who did we lose?" It was the worst question to have ever left my lips; it felt better to ask it than to be told. The dread was unbearable; the thought of not knowing was even worse.

"We lost Dukeman early hours of this morning. Boyle got caught in the leg when the German artillery started and Webster got pinged as well but he's not too bad." I bowed my head. Corporal William Dukeman had been a Toccoa man and his death would affect everyone.

"I'll have his body taken back to HQ with me." Carwood patted me on the shoulder as he left to speak to the other men. I headed over to where Johnny Martin was holding a small group of prisoners.

"You got any injured over here Johnny?"

"Not that I'm aware of Lieutenant. Webster gone to get his leg sorted and Liebgott is popping off the survivors so I got no translator." I tried to ignore his last comment. Joe was known for being hard on the Germans, even more so than anyone else in the company. I had overheard Dick calling him a "born killer". I sickened me to think that the man I love, the man who was so gentle and caring with me, could take another human life with so much as a second thought. I turned my attention to the Germans who were all huddled together.

"Bist du verwundeter?" _Are you wounded?_ I asked the group of prisoners. They all shook their heads even though it was clearly evident some of them were bleeding. "Didn't know that you spoke German Lieutenant?" Martin commented. "Just the basics" I replied. I hadn't spoken German since I had been in Africa, which seemed like a lifetime ago. I didn't believe what the Germans had told me. They were all scared and quiet rightly so. Hitler had claimed the American Paratroopers were thieves and hooligans and murdered people for fun. None of these boys had done anything of the kind before he had decided to take over the world. Now some of them thoroughly enjoyed it.

"Johnny, tell whoever takes them back to HQ, to make sure they all go via the aid station first. I don't like the way the kid is holding his shoulder." Martin nodded as I left to find Dick, who was in the process of stopping Joe from popping off any more of the survivors.

"Joe! Joe! Knock it off!" I stood and watched as anger flashed across his face. There was so much of it within him, it frightened me. "Dam it…What!" this wasn't the man I loved, the one who would hold me till I no longer shook from the nightmares. It had been weeks since we had been alone together, maybe if we had, I would have been able to stop him being so angry. Dick had noticed Joe's neck.

"You're bleeding." "It's nothing Captain." Dick wasn't buying his excuse "I want you to take these prisoners back to battalion CP. Why don't you head back and get yourself cleaned up?" I knew it wasn't as much an idea as it was an order, but I knew the look on Joe's face too. He was mad. Angry at the fact Dick had interrupted him. He had been having _fun._

He mentioned for me to come over.

"Sir, I'm fine." Joe tried to cover his ass once he saw that I had been sent for.

"Sir, you wanted to see me? " I knew what this was about.

"Betty, take a look at Joe's neck. Get him back to the aid station." Peering under the self-applied bandage, I should have been angrier with him.

"Christ! Liebgott. What happened? I want you back at the aid station at HQ….now!"

"Lt….Really…it's just a scratch." I knew how to read between the lines. He didn't want to go back to the HQ, because he wanted to stay here, on the off chance that he might be able to carry on popping off the Germans. _Not gonna work sunshine._ I thought.

"Not up for discussion Corporal. I expect to see you at the aid station before noon." Part of me felt guilty for using my rank against him. But with Dick there and how Joe had behaved towards him, my authority felt justified.

"Joe, take the prisoners back to Battalion CP. Get yourself cleaned up whilst you're there." Dick wasn't the kind of officer that had to tell someone twice. Something else flashed behind Joe's eyes. Excitement maybe, at the chance to supervise the prisoners. _Everyone knows how the Germans ended up with Joe. This is not gonna end good. _As though Dick had read my mind, he called out to Joe.

"Come on Kraut boys." I closed my eyes, hoping that Joe didn't behave like he did last time.

"Joe?" Dick wasn't going to give him the opportunity for it to happen again. "Drop your ammo." All Joe could do was stand and stare in disbelief. "What? "You gotta be kidding me. What are you doing?" Dick wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. "Give me your weapon." Joe look horrified as Dick took it off him. He knew he had screwed up the last time; three of the prisoners had come out with broken bones. Dick may not have had witnesses or had evidence, but it was enough to take precautions.

There was nothing that I could do. I couldn't calm him down or suggest he rides with me in the jeep. _There's nothing you can do for him Betty. He has to know he can't beat on them._ Dick gave Joe one round. When asked, Johnny shouted loud enough for everyone to hear that there were eleven prisoners.

"You drop a prisoner the rest will jump you. I want all prisoners back at the CP…alive." As Joe headed off to escort them to Battalion, Dick turned to me. I felt bad for Joe, but it had to happen like this.

"Elizabeth," I had subconsciously moved my hand to the necklace round my neck. "Elizabeth" I broke out of my revere. "Yes, sorry sir." Dick smiled, inviting to walk with him. We walked out to the edge of the dike. The scene in front me…was something out of a horror movie. There were dead and dying Germans everywhere. Lt. Peacock had been surprised when it turned out they were all SS.

"I know you and Liebgott are…close." My throat went instantly dry, my heart started to thunder in my chest. My eyes were wide before I could do any damage control. "But I need to know if he steps out of line…" the request was open ended. _Is he implying that he knows about our relationship? Is he asking me to choose?_ "Sir, my loyalty lies with my unit," Dick stopped me from talking. "I know you are loyal to the Company Elizabeth, but I need to know, if things got too bad, could you….cope appropriately without him around." Dick was checking his bases.

If Joe stepped out of line and he was forced to make it official, would I be a nervous wreck watching him be dragged away by the MP's? O_f course I would be a nervous wreck._ "Yes, Sir I could cope." _You are a liar Elizabeth Mae, a big horrible liar._ Dick nodded. As we both overlooked the devastation, Dick slid down against a fence post resting on his heels. You didn't need to be a doctor or a brain surgeon to know he was exhausted.

Deciding it was best to leave him to his thoughts I headed back to where the transport was waiting to take the wounded, as Lewis was heading towards where Dick was. I was glad that he could not hear my heart or had asked to shake my hand, as both of them would have given my deceit away. If something happened to any of the men I was closer to than normal, it would break my heart and fuel my hatred of the Germans. But to lose Joe, Bill, Toye, Lewis even Dick…I don't know what I would do, how I would cope…I would have to survive, it would be the only thing to do.

Making sure that Dukeman had been sent back to the headquarters, I checked on the others that had been wounded during the attack. I had requested only two ambulances follow me down to the dike, but by the looks of how many there were, I would need them to come back to ferry the rest. Webster had been caught by a piece of shrapnel, it wouldn't take that long for him to heal up, couple of weeks in an aid station in France and he'd be good as new. Boyle on the other hand, he was lucky to be alive. He too had been caught by shrapnel when the kraut artillery had started, but a piece had opened up his thigh like it was a hot knife in butter. Bill and Pat Christenson had patched him as best they could till Roe could get too him.

"How we doing there boys?" I asked as I climbed on the back of the jeep. Webster was lucid and asking long I thought he'd be out for. "I don't know Web, just depends on what the docs say back at the aid station." Boyle was out cold from the morphine. Checking his vitals, I wrote them on a piece of paper and shoved it into his top pocket. Climbing down, I gave the all clear for the truck to depart.


	40. Chapter37

_**My lovely readers...I hope you are all still there. I am sorry I have been absent for so long. I have had a lot on my plate with work at the moment and unfortunately my writing had to take a back seat. But here I am with a new chapter. This one is fairly long, hitting the 3.5k characters mark! **_

_**There is quite a bit in this chapter that isn't in the TV series, but it is alluded to in Major Winter's memoirs and in the Band of Brothers book. I hope you enjoy it. **_

I walked in amongst the men, making sure they were okay and that none of them had wounds they hadn't feel like disclosing the first time I had asked. As Roe was tending to those with minor injuries and told me that he had everything under control, I decided it best to head back to HQ and deal with the wounded Germans before they were sent off with the military Intelligence. "Hey Lewis," He turned over his shoulder. I beamed a smile. "Hey Betty," He finished his lighter out for me as mine had refused to work since the jump. "What does the good Colonel want with Dick?" Lewis smiled his "I know but you don't" smile. "Colonel Sink is promoting Dick to Battalion XO." I almost choked on my cigarette. "He's leaving Easy?" The look of horror was written all over my face. "But…he…" I didn't want to say "can't", because it was clearly evident he was going up to Battalion. "Aww you'll be alright Betty, just means that you'll have Moose Heyliger to hang around with!" His comments didn't make me feel any better.

"When are the boys going to be told?" Lewis looked over my shoulder. "In the next couple of days I think. Sink is reorganising battalion staff after Major Horton and some of the other 3rd Battalion officers got killed this morning."

"They got Major Horton?" Lewis just nodded. Whilst it was the enlisted men and platoon officers who did the majority of the leg work, the Battalion officers weren't bullet proof in their HQs either, as some of the guys thought. Sink and Dick were making their way back over to where Lewis and I were smoking.

"Lt. Reedman Do you have the bill for this attack?" Sink never called me Betty. It was either Elizabeth or Lieutenant Reedman.

"Yes Sir I do. Twenty-two wounded and one KIA." It felt sad to just say the one, but then it would have been worse to say anything higher.

"Prisoners Dick?" Sink would have all of the after action reports on his desk within a few days, but he liked his information hot off the press.

"There's seven back in the cage at the moment and I have sent eleven back to join them." Sink mulled over the information before turning to me. "Reedman, see what medical attention they need before they are handed over to MI. I don't want them Krauts shouting that we didn't treat them right." I nodded in acknowledgement.

Sink's driver Private Loraine returned to start the jeep. Sink clambered into the front, talking about something to Lewis that was way above my pay grade. As the jeep rumbled on and Sink was snapping of salutes to everyone we drove by, Lewis nudged me to get my attention.

"We have to treat them too?" He asked as he dug around in his fatigues for his smokes. Handing him one of mine, we did the round robin of passing cigarettes and lighters back and forth.

"Yea, I thought you would know that?" I breathed out the smoke. "They fall under the Geneva Convention of 1929, which means that we have to give them medical aid whilst they are our prisoners." Lewis frowned. "Just doesn't seem right does it? They're the ones trying to take over the world, they're the ones that caused all this goddam mess and now because WE kicked their asses, WE have to look after them? Someone somewhere is thinking with half a brain cell." I could see his argument. But as a medic, I couldn't allow the politics to affect me. It didn't matter that the men I were about to treat could have had brothers, fathers, cousins, uncles in Africa who threw the mortar that could have killed Henry. It didn't matter that the man who governed their country wanted to take over the entire world, wanted to exterminate everything in his path who didn't submit to his will and which in a roundabout way had led to my brother's death. I couldn't let my feelings get in the way even if I hated them, every single last one of them.

Surveying the pairs of eyes that looked at me, it was a mixture of fear and relief. Fear over what was going to happen to them and relief over the fact they didn't have to fight anymore. Spina and Roe had already started tending to the wounded. "What have we got Gene?" I asked whilst he was bandaging a prisoner's head.

"Most of 'em are shrapnel scratches. I haven't checked all of 'em. Think dere are a couple with bullet wounds sat in the far corner, but I don't speak German an' Liebgott hot tailed outta here once he dropped them all off."

I rolled up my sleeves and motioned for Spina to come and help me.

"Ist jemand von euch verwundet?" _Are any of you wounded?_ I asked. After some murmuring between them, a couple of the men stood up and pointed to various parts of their body, but there was a boy sat in the corner, more than likely scared out of his mind, nursing a blood soaked jacket sleeve. "Du kommst mit mir" _You come with me._ I said pointing at the boy. Spina helped him up and onto the table. He could have been no older than eighteen. "Wie heiβt du?" _What is your name?_ Whilst I didn't want to be here anymore than he did, it was a way of getting information out of him. "Janik Jasiukiewicz" Spina looked at me as though the kid had three heads. "That don't sound very German Lieutenant!" He whispered. Webster had said that some of the prisoners had claimed they were Polish and not German. But a lot of the men had disbelieved them.

Handing the boy a notepad, I told him to write down his name, rank and unit. He started talking so fast that I couldn't catch what he was saying. He pointed at his jacket, which was soaked with blood. "Könntest du bitte Jacke und Hemd ausziehen?" _Can you remove your jacket and shirt please?_ The kid looked as though he was going to cry. He tried to shirk his way out of the thick coat without so much as making a sound. This just wasn't right. Whilst I didn't want to treat these men, I wasn't in this job to watch them suffer either. Pulling my jump knife out of my boot, which made the boy scream even louder, I got Spina to hold him still. Grabbing hold of the fabric of his coat, making sure I didn't push the knife in too hard, I slit the seam at the top of the jacket, ripping off the arm. Once the kid realised that I was only trying to get rid of the coat sleeve and I wasn't going to hack of his arm off, he calmed down.

"Du musst dich hinlegen, sonst kann ich die Kugel aus deinem Arm nicht entfernen." _I need you to lie down for me; otherwise I cannot remove the bullet from your arm._ The boy didn't have a clue what I was saying; he just kept staring at me. I repeated myself, until one of the other soldiers, who was now stood behind me, talked to him in another language. I turned to look at who was speaking. He was an older man, possibly a commander of some kind. I wasn't completely clued up on the German ranks. The boy lay down, with the help of Spina. I must have looked confused. As he stepped towards me, I took a step to the rear. I didn't trust him.

"Sprichst du Deutsch?"_ Do you speak German?_ He nodded. "Was hast du zu ihm gesagt?"_ What did you say to him?_ The idea that I could only speak to a few of the soldiers, because the rest couldn't understand German unnerved me a little. The idea of them jumping Spina, Roe or I had me worried. _Dam it! Why didn't you take Dick's offer of some help…nooo Elizabeth…gotta do everything on your bloody own!_ Turning to Spina, who was setting up the things I would need to extract the bullet, I told him to go and get a couple of guys to 'help us out.'

"I don't care who it is Spina, but go and get someone that's carrying a weapon. Tell them that only a hand full of these guys can speak German and the rest are Polish and I am requesting a little help, just in case. Be quick about it." He headed off out of the room.

Turning my attention back to man, I knew that if I didn't have his help, I would not be able to get the boy to cooperate.

"Wer bist du?" _Who are you?_ I asked him. He may have been a lovely man at home, with his wife and children, but the fact that he was wearing the uniform of the most hated and despised country in the world, made my skin crawl.

"Ich bin Gabriel Schumacher und ich bin der Feldwebel dieses Zuges."_ I am Gabriel Schumacher and I am the boy's Platoon Sergeant._ He offered me a smile and even extended his hand which I refused. _Elizabeth Reedman!_ I could hear my mother's voice whirling round my head. _Sorry Ma, but there ain't no way in hell I am shaking his hand. Not after what he has done to people I care about. _

I looked at him dead panned. There would be no smiles, no emotion. I wanted to patch this kid up and get the hell out of here. "Ich bin Leutnant Reedman und ich bin die Krankenschwester dieser Fallschirmjäger-Einheit. Ich möchte, dass du übersetzt, was ich dem Jungen sage, so dass ich die Kugel entfernen kann ohne weitere Schäden zu verursachen." _I am Lt. Reedman and I am the nurse for this paratrooper unit. I require you to translate what I say to the boy so that I can remove the bullet from his arm without causing any more damage._

I carefully took a look at the boy's arm. There was no exit wound which meant that the bullet was still in there. There was no pain relief for them unless they were going into surgery with the Regimental Surgeon. The part of me that didn't want to see this kid suffer was shouting so loud about how it was going to hurt him and he shouldn't have to suffer. _He chose to fight, not my problem._ I sounded so bitter and callous in my own head. It felt as though my brain was going to split in two. Standing over him with tweezers in hand, there was little I could do for his tears.

"Ich werde nicht lügen, das wird schmerzhaft." _I make no apologies; this is going to be painful._ The sergeant walked around to the other side of the boy and gripped his hand. I knew where the bullet was lodged which I hoped would make it easier to pull out. Inserting the tweezers, I gripped the bullet. The boy so desperately wanted to cry and scream, but he was determined not to show any weakness. His ever so slight movements weren't making it easy. Every time I had a grip of the bullet, he would flinch and I would lose.

"Ah! Sag ihm, dass er aufhören soll sich zu bewegen; sonst werde ich die Kugel nie heraus bekommen." _Ah! Tell him to stop moving; otherwise I will never get the bullet out._ I was getting frustrated, with my own conflicted feelings and at the boy.

The sergeant said something and the boy instantly stopped moving. "About time." I muttered under my breath. Taking a firm grip of the bullet, I twisted slightly and pulled. Dropping the round onto the table, I applied sulphur and a bandage, just as Spina walked through the door with Bill and Shifty Powers.

"Ya need some help Bee?" Bill asked from across the room. Wiping my hands on a cloth, I walked over to where he was standing, whilst Spina finished up tending to the lad.. "More a little reassurance that if anything goes, wrong shall we say." He looked at me. Confusion was written all over his face. "Bee? You wanna explain?" I patted myself down for my cigarettes only to have Bill hand me one and his lighter. "Der krauts Bill." My accent always came out when I spoke to Bill. It felt nice, for a nanosecond made me think we were back home, taking across the backyard wall. "SS krauts at that! Dey killed Dukeman and Miller and Van Klinken. Dey killed them and it pains me dat I have to treat der asses!" Bill just sat there and smoked. "Yous been 'anging round with Liebgott too much!" He said with a smile and I slapped his arm. Since the little scene in England, Bill and I hadn't really spoken about Joe. "It's got nutting to do wit Joe and you knows it Bill. Dese bastards killed your Henry and my Daniel in a roundabout way. Dey are scum and you knows I'm right." There was no answer, no confirmation at what I was saying.

"So apart from the fact dat you want all the krauts dead…" I turned to look at him. "I am a nurse Bill, I swore an oath, just like you did, but mine says dat I have to save life, no matter who dey are, no matter what friggin language dey speak, I'm the schmuck who's gotta patch 'em back up. How can I do that, if all I'm thinking is how I want to kill 'em!" I threw my cigarette butt on the floor. My train of thought was interrupted by the commotion going on outside the room. "What the hell?" I left Bill to finish up his cigarette whilst I checked out what all the shouting was about.

"They don't deserve to be treated! THEY'RE NAZI BASTARDS!" Joe was having a go at one of the medics who was helping a German POW back to the holding room. "Cpl Liebgott! What the hell is goin' on out here?" I shouted. The poor medic looked scared out of his wits. "Carry on Private. Corporal…a word?" Joe took a step towards the young lad, making him flinch. Grabbing hold of his wrist, I pulled him into a side office.

"What the hell was all dat about?" Joe's eyes flashed with anger. "They're Nazi's Betty. Cold hearted murdering Nazis! I mean…they're SS for Christ's sake." Everyone knew about Joe's toxic hatred for them, I more than most, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Dat maybe, but you can't go around beatin on them. They are protected Joe. If you hurt them, it'll be you that'll end up in the clink." His eyes were fierce. Something I had never had directed at me before. "But they hurt Boyle, Webster and Alley. They," He pointed at the door. "They killed Dukeman." I looked him square in the eye. "They…killed my brother Joe!" Technically that wasn't true. It had been the Japs at Pearl Harbour who had killed Daniel, but in a roundabout way the Germans could be blame. "Don't you think I know that they killed all of our boys? Don't you think I remember the look on their faces when they don't make it? When it dawns on them that they ain't never going home again? No more ice cream Sundays, no more 4th of July fireworks, or Thanksgiving. Don't you think I know dat them bastards in dere took away dere chances of ever havin' what we have now?" He wouldn't look at me. Lifting his chin, I looked him square in the eye. "You don't need to be angry with me." But the fierce hatred was still there. "Do you want to treat them?" I leant against the desk. "What?" The question knocked me a bit. "Do I want to? God no!" I have more reason to hate the Germans than most, but it's not about whether I want to Joe. It's about what I have to do, what I am ordered to do." He frowned ever so slightly, not sure if he fully understood.

"Colonel Sink, as Regimental Commanding Officer, is governed by the Geneva Convention to treat all prisoners with respect and dignity, that means giving them SS bastards medical aid." He paced in front of the desk. "Joe." He ignored me. "Joe? Look at me. Please?" I caught hold of his hand. "Look at me, please." He lifted his head. He was so conflicted.

"If you had a choice," I knew where this was going. "If I had a choice, I'd shoot 'em all myself. I swore to protect my country and as crazy and screwed up as it may sound, if fixing em up allows us to get any sort of intel out of 'em then my job is worth it." His face relaxed a small smile creped across his face. "I'm sorry. They killed Dukeman and everyone else we lost and now we are patching the bastards up. It just doesn't seem right." I pulled him closer to me, his hands interlocked with mine. "I know it don't, but if we don't help them, or even kill them, we wouldn't be any better than the Germans." He signed, pulling me into a hug. We hadn't held each other like this for some weeks, and to be back in the safety of his arms, made me realise how much I missed him. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to yell at the kid." Whilst I knew it wasn't the case, the fact that he's rough with prisoners was a different ball game all together.

"I want you to promise me something." He looked down at me, the anger from his eyes gone. "Anything." _Alright you said it._ "Promise me that you'll not beat on the prisoners anymore. That you'll leave them be." He looked at me and then up at the ceiling as though it would give him some divine intervention. He knew I knew what had gone on. "I know all about what happened Joe. Even though Roe patched the kid up, I still saw the report." He hung his head. "Promise me now, dat you won't do it again, cos it won't be me asking you what happened if it happens again." He nodded slowly, mumbling something I couldn't quite hear.

"I promise Betty. I won't do it again." Smiling, I gripped his fatigues and pulled him in for a longer hug. "I have missed you Joseph Liebgott." I whispered. It had felt as though he had been away for month. The Joe that I know and loved had only just come back. Breathing deeply for his fatigues, I could only smell spent ammunition and blood and whilst to some that may sound revolting, it was nothing unusually for me. He lifted my chin from off his chest. He softly placed his lips on mine. It was like our first kiss all over again, nervous and hesitant. "We can't do this here, not now. Bill is outside and so is Shifty. I would not want him to walk in on us for the second time." I whispered. Whilst I could have quite easily stayed there, I had a small mountain of paperwork to write and file and collate all the information about the Germans we had treated.

"I have missed you too!" He whispered back to me. It seemed impossible to be so close to someone, work with them every day and still feel as though you have been separated for months. "Do you think I can see you later on today? Just the two of us?" The idea burned in my brain. I wanted to see him, spend time in his arms, be safe and happy for a few moments. "Well, I have had you taken off duty because of the wound to your neck. I will let you know during my rounds if we can be together." Joe left first as it was I who had wanted to speak to him and not the other way around. Bill was still sat watching Spina and Roe patch up the POW. "Everythin okay Bee?" I nodded. "Yea, Joe was harassing one of the medics who was helping with transferring the POWs. Nothing I couldn't sort out." Bill threw me a look. "Ya know Bee, if Captain Winters finds out," I cut Bill off midsentence. "Bill, Captain Winters isn't going to find out, because I have taken care of it. He's promised me that he's not gonna beat on the Germans no more!" Bill just nodded. "As long as he don't break that promise, cos ya know being the only family you have here…" I held my hand up. "Thank you very much, but I am not ten years old anymore Bill, I can handle myself you know!" He held both his hands up in surrender. "I know dat Betty, but I hope you know dat if he ever hurt you…" He left the statement open ended. I knew what Bill was insinuating and whilst it was nice to know he still wanted to protect me, I knew that I couldn't have that kind of tension between men within the same company. "Bill, I get it. I understand that you don't like the idea of me and him, but like I told you when we was in England. Me and Joe," I whispered his name, in case anyone was eavesdropping when they shouldn't be. "are for keeps. Just like you are with Frannie. I love him." Bill looked at me and I knew from the look in his eye, that he knew I was serious. "Well alright den." With that he went to help Shifty.

_**I hope I haven't confused too many people with adding the German into the story. I wanted to bring the characters to life so to speak. **_

_**Reviews are always greatly appreciated. **_

_**Tabitha x**_


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